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For an undisclosed period of 
time, the apostle John has been 

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exiled to prison on an island 
called Patmos. 

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We don't know the duration of 
his sentencing or if he was even

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granted a release date, but one 
thing is for certain, this man 

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was mindful of his time while in
exile, especially when the first

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day of the week came around. 
And we have reason to believe 

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that John did his best to give 
praise and Thanksgiving to his 

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God, especially on the Lord's 
Day, recognizing the 

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resurrection, even though he was
usually surrounded by hardened 

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criminals and merciless Roman 
guards. 

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Again, we don't know if he was 
here for weeks, months, maybe 

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longer, but he does do something
for us. 

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He documents a particular Lord's
Day where everything would 

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change for him and for the 
world. 

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Really. 
One of the things that moves me 

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about the Book of Revelation, 
especially with John's story, is

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that he was on this island 
called Patmos on account of the 

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word of God in the testimony of 
Jesus Christ. 

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Here you have a man between his 
between the age of 80 and 90, 

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who was willing to go to prison 
so that he wouldn't have not 

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deny the Gospel. 
And more than that, when Rome 

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attempted to subdue the spread 
of the gospel, it was in that 

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very place Patmos, with the 
revelation of Jesus Christ, came

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to John and spread to the 
Church. 

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It was the means by which one of
the greatest messages ever came 

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about. 
The word of God cannot be bound.

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And here John is trying to 
explain to us what happened to 

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him on this particular Sunday. 
And the best way that he could 

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describe it is this. 
I was in the spirit. 

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I was in the spirit. 
Now this is me and my sanctified

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imagination. 
I like to think that John, being

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an elderly man, an older 
prisoner, had some free time. 

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And perhaps on one Sunday 
afternoon, he was sitting on the

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rocky edges there of the island,
looking out into the Aegean Sea,

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meditating and praying silently.
But suddenly the background 

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noise of jailers and prisoners 
chiseling into stones and 

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minerals, mixed with the 
clamoring commands of Roman 

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guards was swiftly caught up, 
drowned out by a voice unlike 

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anything John has ever heard. 
The best way that John could 

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describe this voice is that it 
had the commanding force of a 

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trumpet blast. 
It demanded the cessation of any

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internal or external activity, 
and as this precious man of God 

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was ready to turn around to 
confirm the source of this 

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voice, He also. 
Realized that he was 

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miraculously transported into 
another realm and what John saw,

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he tells us beginning in 
Revelation One, verse 12. 

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Let's turn there together and 
read it. 

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Then I turned to see the voice 
that was speaking to me, and on 

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turning I saw 7 golden 
lampstands, and in the midst of 

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the lampstands one like a son of
man, clothed with a long robe 

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and with a golden sash around 
his chest. 

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The hairs of his head were white
like white wool, like snow. 

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His eyes were like a flame of 
fire, his feet were like 

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burnished bronze refined in a 
furnace, and his voice was like 

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the roar of many waters. 
In his right hand he held seven 

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stars, from his mouth came a 
sharp 2 edged sword, and his 

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face was like the sun shining in
full strength. 

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You would expect that once John 
turns to see the voice that 

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spoke them that he would behold 
Jesus Christ. 

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That's not what immediately 
caught his attention. 

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The object, if you will, that 
came about and seized Him is 

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what we find again here in verse
12. 

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I saw 7 golden lampstands. 
Now we can confirm that these 

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lampstands are not just 
decorative pieces to this 

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vision. 
They carry rich meaning and the 

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interpretation of these symbols 
as found in the same text. 

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You just have to Scroll down to 
verse 20. 

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Notice what Jesus says to John 
is he gives them the meaning of 

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these things. 
As for the mystery of the seven 

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stars that you saw in my right 
hand and the seven golden 

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lampstands, the seven stars are 
the angels of the seven 

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churches, and the seven 
lampstands are the seven 

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churches, meaning the seven 
churches that John would write 

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to in the immediate context in 
Asia Minor. 

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Now the fact that John initially
hears the voice of Jesus, but 

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immediately saw the seven golden
lampstands which represent the 

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church is a profound thought 
because it speaks to the oneness

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of Christ and His Church. 
And I believe what John, though 

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it was unique to him, this 
revelation, this vision, what he

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experienced, everyone should 
experience. 

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What do I mean? 
By that that when anybody comes 

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into contact with the Church of 
Jesus Christ. 

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They should hear the voice of 
Jesus Christ, and the way in 

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which the voice of Jesus Christ 
is heard from the church is when

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the church. 
Honors the Word of God, obeys 

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the word of God, and unashamedly
declares the word of God. 

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That's how the voice of God is 
known. 

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And so think about this. 
He hears Christ, but when he 

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turns he sees the Church. 
And in the same way, when people

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come to the gathering of the 
Saints where they come into 

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contact with us, there should be
a measure of experience of 

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Christ himself. 
Here's what this means for us. 

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That if we want God's favorable 
presence in our midst, and if we

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want His power to manifest among
us, then we must first establish

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this We will cherish and uphold 
His Word above all. 

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Have you ever considered how? 
These letters, these small 

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report cards in chapter 2 and 
three begin each time. 

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Let's get a sample. 
Go to chapter 2, beginning in 

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verse one. 
To the Angel of the church in 

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Ephesus, write the words of him 
who holds the seven stars in his

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right hand, who walks among the 
seven golden lampstands. 

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Go to verse 8. 
And to the Angel of the church 

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in Smyrna, write the words of 
the 1st and the last who died 

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and came to life. 
Go to verse 12. 

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And to the Angel of the church 
in Pergamum write the words of 

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him who has the sharp 2 edged 
sword, verse 18. 

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And to the Angel of the church 
in thy tyre, write the words of 

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the Son of God, who has eyes 
like a flame of fire, and whose 

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feet are like burnished bronze. 
You get the idea I hope. 

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The. 
Words of him appears in the 

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start of every single one of 
these addresses, and I'm 

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convinced that this repetitive 
introduction is not just meant 

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to confirm the identity of the 
author. 

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This is not just Christ saying, 
Hey, it's me Christ, it's me 

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your Lord, it's me, your Savior.
Yes, that's clear. 

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But I believe it's deeper than 
that. 

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Here you have a sevenfold 
reminder of the authority of 

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Christ's words, which must 
preside over every local church.

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The words, the words, The words 
of him, of him, of him, of him 

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for every single church to say 
what? 

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It's my word that is above all. 
It's my word that governs 

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everything. 
It's my words by which you will 

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be held accountable. 
The words of Him. 

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Now, I've met many people, 
wonderful believers, who have 

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expressed the hunger to see the 
Holy Spirit move in greater ways

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in their own lives and even in 
their church meetings. 

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That's a honorable desire, but I
want to confirm something to 

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you, and if that's you in this 
place, please hear me very 

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carefully. 
For the Spirit of God to truly 

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work in our midst, we must first
genuinely esteem the Word. 

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He does not work apart from the 
Word and if. 

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Any kind of minister or ministry
attempts to do so, It is 

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artificial, whatever 
manifestation it may be. 

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No matter how you may feel in 
such a setting, no matter what 

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kind of mood they put you in, if
the word. 

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Is not preeminent, then you have
reason to question whatever is 

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moving in that place, and the 
Spirit of God who knows all 

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things is aware when a church 
pays lip. 

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Service to the Word when the 
Church just uses it as a 

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footnote, where the church 
acknowledges its authority but 

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not its sufficiency, and really,
it's not really authoritative 

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unless we agree with it. 
He can see pass through all 

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that. 
But when you have the 

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combination of a minister who 
faithfully and lovingly submits 

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and heralds a word, and eager 
listeners who receive it are 

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ready to obey, miracles can 
happen. 

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Miracles can happen. 
I want, I want you to be 

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reminded of this as well, that 
every time we come and do this, 

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life and death hangs in the 
balance. 

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In this very space, people can 
be saved for eternity. 

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In this very place, people can 
be delivered from so many vices 

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and chains and bondages in this 
place, by what means the 

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transmission of the Word. 
I'm reminded of Peter when he 

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was called by Christ to go to 
the household of Cornelius and 

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to give these Gentiles the 
gospel, and as Cornelius, this 

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man who was hungry. 
To know the truth, gathered his 

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close friends and family. 
To hear the Apostle Peter speak,

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something happened. 
The Holy Spirit interrupted his 

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sermon, and I want you to hear 
what happens. 

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In Acts 1044, while Peter was 
still saying these things, the 

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Holy Spirit fell on all who 
heard what the Word. 

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The Holy Spirit fell on all who 
heard the Word. 

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What does that tell me? 
That the Holy Spirit longs to 

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confirm the Word, and He moves 
in a place where the Word is 

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cherished, love applied, 
received. 

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Oh, we can camp here for a 
while, can't we? 

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But let's consider one more 
detail before we move on. 

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John didn't just see 7 
lampstands, he saw 7 golden 

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lampstands. 
That detail is not 

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insignificant. 
Why was it that these symbols of

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the church were plastered with 
gold? 

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It's very simple. 
Gold is a precious metal. 

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And what Christ is even 
communicating here by revealing 

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this to John and to us, is that 
the church, this entity made-up 

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of people who've been forgiven, 
who've received the grace of God

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in Christ Jesus, are so valuable
to him, so precious to him, so 

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cherished by him. 
That he even wants to try to 

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communicate it by saying the 
church is gold to me. 

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Now here's a temptation for us 
as the Church that we hear that 

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and we fail to realize the 
personal element of it as though

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Christ, yes, he has a heart for 
church, this universal 

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institution, this large 
gathering of people, this 

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movement called the church. 
And I'm here to tell you that 

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God even looks at you and I on 
individual basis as precious 

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gold, not just His church, but 
every single one of us. 

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Do you know where I get that 
from? 

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A book? 
You wouldn't think you would 

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find it in the book of 
Lamentations chapter 4. 

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If you can find limitations, 
meet me there in verse 2 and 

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look at this interesting 
statement. 

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The precious sons of Zion worth 
their weight in fine gold. 

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How they are regarded as earthen
pots, the work of a Potter's 

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hands. 
So we see here in Revelation 

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that the church is seen as gold.
But back in the Old Testament 

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even, it's the sons, the 
spiritual sons of God, who are 

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worth their weight in fine gold.
This is meant to convince you 

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that the Lord does not treat you
or me indifferently. 

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He doesn't handle our lives 
carelessly. 

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You know. 
Any responsible owner of 

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something as precious as gold 
would not leave it exposed for 

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thieves to take or for it to be 
potentially lost. 

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Nor would such an owner of gold 
poorly invest or allow just 

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anybody to handle it. 
Now he would monitor it, He will

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secure it, he will Polish it 
because he realizes how valuable

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it is. 
Do you know how valuable you and

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I are to God? 
We're told that he purchased us 

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with his own blood. 
You. 

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Me. 
Oh, for the church. 

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Yeah. 
But remember limitations. 

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You and I are seen as Feingold 
on a personal level, and we see 

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here that Christ so loves his 
church that he died for her and 

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he still sees her as gold. 
You know what's amazing? 

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These churches that we're going 
to study were far from perfect, 

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but they were still so precious 
to Christ. 

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Be very, be very careful 
criticizing the church. 

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Be very slow to do that because 
Jesus sees her as beautiful. 

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00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:47,880
Yes, he will chastise her. 
Yes, he will point out things, 

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but there's some people who say 
very concerning things about the

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church and I would not do that 
seeing how Christ sees her. 

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But these lampsteads are not the
only thing that are gold. 

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After seeing initially these 
churches, John looks a little 

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00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:06,800
bit more carefully and he sees 
what? 

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00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,880
Come back to Revelation one with
me in verse 13 and in the midst 

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of the lampstands one like a Son
of man. 

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There's somebody who looks like 
a human that's standing there, 

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but he's more than human. 
He's like a son of man. 

227
00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:22,280
And one of the first things that
stand out to John about this one

228
00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,240
like a son of man is his 
wardrobe. 

229
00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:27,960
He was clothed with a long robe 
and with a golden sash around 

230
00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,840
his chest. 
Now if you're. 

231
00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,760
Familiar with the Old Testament?
Then this should ring a bell. 

232
00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:38,720
This attire sounds very similar 
to that of the Levitical 

233
00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:43,360
priests. 
So he has this long robe. 

234
00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,440
Now you can debate, is that the 
robe of a prophet? 

235
00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,120
Is that a robe of a king? 
No, no, no, no. 

236
00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:53,520
What makes a difference is this 
sash, this ornamental kind of 

237
00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,320
cloth that would be wrapped 
around the chest or sometimes 

238
00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:04,560
sit across the shoulder. 
Jesus had a sash and we have to 

239
00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,640
think, have I seen this before? 
Remember, what's going to help 

240
00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:09,600
you and I understand Revelation 
is that when there isn't an 

241
00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,840
immediate explanation to 
something, you have to think, 

242
00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:14,320
where have I seen these details 
before? 

243
00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:16,600
And you're going to usually find
in the Old Testament. 

244
00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:21,560
And now we're going to see how 
God commanded the sons of Aaron,

245
00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,960
what they were to wear because 
everything that they wore had a 

246
00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:27,480
message. 
Can we turn there together, 

247
00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,480
please? 
Let's go to Exodus and let's go 

248
00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:34,440
to chapter 28 this chapter that.
Provides us the elaborate 

249
00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:36,480
description of the garments of 
the priests. 

250
00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:51,050
Exodus 28, beginning in verse 2.
And you shall make holy garments

251
00:16:51,050 --> 00:16:55,090
for Aaron your brother, for 
glory and for beauty. 

252
00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,960
You shall speak to all the 
skilful whom I filled with the 

253
00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:02,760
spirit of skill, that they make 
Aaron's garments to consecrate 

254
00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,359
him from my priesthood. 
These are the garments that they

255
00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:10,119
shall make a breast piece, an 
ephod, a robe, a coat of checker

256
00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,640
work, a turban and a what and a 
sash. 

257
00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,000
They shall make holy garments 
for Aaron, your brother and his 

258
00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,920
sons, to serve me as priests. 
Everything has intention, 

259
00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,680
everything has a purpose for 
glory and for beauty, and it's 

260
00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:26,760
supposed to point to something. 
We don't have time to get into 

261
00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,400
it. 
But if you stick in Exodus long 

262
00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,760
enough, if you faithfully finish
this book, then later on in the 

263
00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:36,040
same book, you'll learn what 
these clothings were to be made 

264
00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,680
of. 
And so you go to chapter 39, 

265
00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,840
verse 27. 
It will be worth it, I assure 

266
00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:45,400
you. 
Exodus 3927. 

267
00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:49,680
This is when they begin to now 
implement and make the things 

268
00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,840
that God commanded them to make,
including the clothing of the 

269
00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:55,080
priest. 
Here we have it in verse 27. 

270
00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:59,680
They also made the coats woven 
of fine linen for Aaron and his 

271
00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:03,360
sons, and the turban of fine 
linen, and the caps of fine 

272
00:18:03,360 --> 00:18:05,880
linen, and the linen 
undergarments of fine twined 

273
00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:10,440
linen, and the sash of fine 
twined linen, and a blue and 

274
00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:14,760
purple and scarlet yarns 
embroidered with needlework, as 

275
00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:20,120
the Lord had commanded Moses. 
How much more detail can you get

276
00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:23,800
than that with a great position?
We are told here that these 

277
00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:28,240
sashes were made of fine linen 
sewn with blue and purple and 

278
00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,600
scarlet yarn, and those colors 
have a meaning. 

279
00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,960
But let's just stop here, now 
that we know what the priest 

280
00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:39,920
under the Levitical code look 
like as they ministered, pause 

281
00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:41,920
and think and compare with 
Christ. 

282
00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:45,280
He had a sash, but what was it 
made of? 

283
00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,560
Gold. 
Complete gold. 

284
00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:56,000
To signify what? 
That as the high priest in the 

285
00:18:56,000 --> 00:19:01,160
New Covenant, he is more 
superior than that of Aaron and 

286
00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:05,000
his sons. 
His ministry as the high priest 

287
00:19:05,360 --> 00:19:11,000
is far more glorious, far more 
effective, far more permanent. 

288
00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,560
Who knew that you can learn 
something with the colors in the

289
00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:18,000
Book of Revelation? 
Yes, His sash was gold. 

290
00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:19,800
Telling us what? 
That his sacrifice was 

291
00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:21,760
sufficient? 
Telling us what? 

292
00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,440
That our guarantee into the 
presence of God has been 

293
00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:27,960
determined? 
Telling us what? 

294
00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:33,560
That we have absolute confidence
that what He has done and how He

295
00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:40,400
mediates for us is eternal. 
The golden sash signifying the 

296
00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:43,640
superiority of the priesthood of
Jesus Christ in the new 

297
00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:47,880
covenant. 
Now if John's description of 

298
00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:51,480
Christ being like one, like a 
Son of man, if that reminds you 

299
00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:56,400
of of Daniel's vision of the 
Messiah, then you're on to 

300
00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:58,520
something. 
You're actually right. 

301
00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:05,040
See, John received a similar 
vision to Daniel. 

302
00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:06,880
There's many parallels between 
the book of Daniel and the Book 

303
00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:08,680
of Revelation, and this is one 
of them. 

304
00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:11,720
But what John? 
Sees here there are added 

305
00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:16,720
details to this one like a son 
of man because you see the Lord 

306
00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:20,080
Jesus was not just standing in 
the midst of his church 

307
00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,240
signifying his presence among 
his people. 

308
00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:25,880
We also get an understanding 
that yes, he's high priest, but 

309
00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:30,280
he also looks like someone else 
and that's what you find here in

310
00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,920
verse 14 the. 
Hairs of his head were white, 

311
00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:38,920
like white wool, like snow. 
He's emphasizing something. 

312
00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:41,800
He could have just said it once,
but he says it in three 

313
00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,280
different ways. 
The hairs of his head were 

314
00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:49,120
white, like white wool, like 
snow. 

315
00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:50,960
In other words, don't ignore 
this. 

316
00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,840
There's something very important
upon about what Christ was 

317
00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,160
wearing on his head, namely His 
hair. 

318
00:20:58,360 --> 00:21:00,440
And again here. 
Here's where we have to stop and

319
00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:01,720
think. 
What am I? 

320
00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:06,080
Supposed to make out of this? 
Well, ask yourself, is there any

321
00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,600
other place in the Bible where I
see this connection of? 

322
00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:14,440
One like a son of man and hair 
like white wool. 

323
00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:19,680
Answer yes, the book of Daniel. 
So we have to go there. 

324
00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:24,080
So meet me in Daniel 7 Daniel 7 
verse 9. 

325
00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:30,040
He says here as I look, this is 
Daniel speaking now in a night 

326
00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,880
vision as I looked Thrones were 
placed and the Ancient of days 

327
00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:37,480
took his seat. 
His clothing was white as snow, 

328
00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:40,680
and the hair of His head like 
pure wool. 

329
00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:45,240
His throne was fiery flames. 
Its wheels were burning fire. 

330
00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,960
Now go to verse 13. 
I saw in the night visions, and 

331
00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:53,320
behold, with the clouds of 
heaven there came one like a Son

332
00:21:53,360 --> 00:21:58,200
of man, And he came to the 
Ancient of Days and was 

333
00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,080
presented before him. 
And to him was given dominion 

334
00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:03,920
and glory, and a Kingdom that 
all peoples, nations, and 

335
00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,720
languages should serve him. 
His dominion is an everlasting 

336
00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,920
dominion. 
We shall not pass away, and His 

337
00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:12,400
Kingdom, one that shall not be 
destroyed. 

338
00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:17,000
Let's gather our thoughts here. 
Daniel had a vision of the 

339
00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,320
Ancient of Days, which is a 
title that is exclusive to the 

340
00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:23,640
Lord God, and he's watching the 
Ancient Of. 

341
00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:28,560
Days take his seat on a throne. 
And out of all the 

342
00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:31,160
characteristics that John, or 
rather Daniel, could have 

343
00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:33,840
recorded about the ancient days,
what stands out to him is the 

344
00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:38,760
clothing, how it was white and 
what his hair being white like 

345
00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:42,800
wool. 
Now this is not without purpose.

346
00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,680
The whiteness of that hair 
speaks of the eternality of 

347
00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:52,280
God's wisdom and purity. 
It emphasizes how he was and is 

348
00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,360
and always will be. 
But shortly after, Daniel, as 

349
00:22:56,360 --> 00:22:59,520
he's watching this, now sees one
like a Son of Man. 

350
00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,240
Who is this human figure? 
People are still debating it, we

351
00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,240
know. 
But this human like individual 

352
00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:08,760
who is more than a human now is 
ushered in with the clouds and 

353
00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:10,760
he approaches the Ancient of 
Days. 

354
00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:14,560
And whoever this man was, we're 
told that he would receive an 

355
00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,800
eternal Kingdom with everlasting
worship. 

356
00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:19,720
Surely he is more than just a 
mere man. 

357
00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:23,960
And hundreds of years Now Fast 
forward. 

358
00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,080
What do we see, John who 
receives a revelation and we're 

359
00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:30,400
told in the beginning of his 
book that he saw one like a Son 

360
00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:31,640
of Man. 
Surely he's referring to the 

361
00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:35,640
same 1 Daniel saw, but now he 
sees something different, or at 

362
00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:39,200
least something more. 
Not the Ancient of Days, but the

363
00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:43,360
one like a Son of Man, also has 
hair that is white like wool. 

364
00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:49,240
And here's what John wants you 
and I to do. 

365
00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:54,320
As we see Christ here and think 
about what Daniel saw, we are to

366
00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:58,120
conclude that this Jesus shares 
the same nature as the Ancient 

367
00:23:58,120 --> 00:24:02,520
of Days. 
In other words, for the Lord to 

368
00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:08,080
reflect the same characteristics
as God Almighty leads us to one 

369
00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,200
truth. 
He is divine. 

370
00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:15,120
He is God Himself. 
He is 1 like a Son of man, but 

371
00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:17,720
he is not just a man. 
He is distinct from the Father, 

372
00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:20,400
yet one in essence with Him in 
terms of deity. 

373
00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:25,080
And 2000 years ago He chose to 
come down and take on flesh 

374
00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:28,520
forever. 
This is Christ in his 

375
00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:35,080
description to show us I am 
Yahweh, not the Father, but God.

376
00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:39,080
And from his hair John scans 
down and is gripped by something

377
00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:43,080
else, the eyes. 
The eyes of Christ. 

378
00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,680
It says here in the second part 
of verse 14, His eyes were like 

379
00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:49,960
a flame of fire. 
Now there have been a. 

380
00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:54,360
Few times in my life where I 
have watched somebody who in a 

381
00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:58,720
moment of rage, had eyes like 
fire. 

382
00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:05,760
But Christ's emotional condition
is not what's being highlighted 

383
00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:08,960
here. 
It's not speaking about his 

384
00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,320
rage, his anger, his wrath 
necessarily. 

385
00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:17,360
Christ's eyes here are meant to 
convey his piercing knowledge 

386
00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:23,720
how he is able to, with complete
and total awareness, see all 

387
00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:26,440
things. 
In the same way that fire 

388
00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:29,520
devours and it exposes. 
Christ's knowledge of what takes

389
00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:32,960
place in the world, especially 
his church cannot be concealed. 

390
00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:37,440
He has X-ray vision. 
He sees through it all. 

391
00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:41,200
And this is the message that 
John wants to convey to these 

392
00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,960
churches. 
No one can hide anything from 

393
00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,240
Christ. 
No one. 

394
00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:50,920
And that is a repeated truth in 
the New Testament. 

395
00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,560
Here's one way of summarizing it
in Hebrews 413. 

396
00:25:55,080 --> 00:26:00,520
And no creature is hidden from 
his sight, but all are naked and

397
00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:04,920
exposed to the eyes of him to 
whom we must give account. 

398
00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:10,760
He sees absolutely everything. 
And this is the message for the 

399
00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:12,560
church. 
He's not speaking to the. 

400
00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,480
World. 
So you know what that tells me? 

401
00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,840
I know we think that church is 
just an hour and a half, maybe 

402
00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:23,080
45 minutes, maybe if it's 
communion, 2 hours, that Jesus 

403
00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,120
sees everything that takes place
here in those two hours. 

404
00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:26,960
No, you're the church when 
you're here and when you're not 

405
00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,000
here. 
When I'm here, when I'm not 

406
00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,360
here. 
So Christ sees it all. 

407
00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:34,040
He sees what we're like outside 
of these walls. 

408
00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:36,080
He sees what's happening behind 
that door. 

409
00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:38,280
He sees what happens when the 
money's being counted. 

410
00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:40,080
He sees what happens in 
counseling sessions. 

411
00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:42,280
He sees what happens when we 
hang out outside of the 

412
00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:45,520
meetings. 
He sees absolutely everything 

413
00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:52,840
but all. 
If you and I are afraid of this,

414
00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:57,920
we have to take heart, because 
to the unrepentant, to the 

415
00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:01,520
Sinner, to the one who is hiding
their iniquity, this verse 

416
00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:05,320
should be alarming. 
But for those who truly belong 

417
00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:08,400
to the Lord and love Him and 
want to obey Him, even though 

418
00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,760
you may believe that Christ has 
perfect knowledge of your ways 

419
00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:13,680
and mine, even our past failures
and sins, we should not be 

420
00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:14,680
shaken. 
Do you know why? 

421
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:18,040
Because the same one who has 
eyes like a flame of fire is 

422
00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:20,280
wearing a long robe with a 
golden sash. 

423
00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,000
So what are you talking about? 
I'm saying this sovereign 

424
00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:31,200
scrutinizer is also your great 
High priest who has paid a high 

425
00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:35,320
price for you to be seen by God 
as Christ Himself. 

426
00:27:38,120 --> 00:27:40,480
And that's precisely what the 
author Hebrew says immediately 

427
00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:42,640
after informing us that 
everything is naked before his 

428
00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:43,880
eyes. 
Remember I quoted that to you in

429
00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:45,840
Hebrews 413. 
But listen to the words of 

430
00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:48,480
Hebrews 414. 
Right after he says God sees 

431
00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,840
everything and he's going to 
hold you accountable for it. 

432
00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,320
He mentions what? 
Listen to Hebrews 414. 

433
00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:55,360
Since then we have a great high 
priest. 

434
00:27:56,720 --> 00:28:00,040
So right after he says the All 
Knowing 1 takes into account 

435
00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:03,600
what we do and what we say and 
how we do After all of that, 

436
00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:07,280
right away, before we even think
for a moment, oh, I'm doomed, he

437
00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:09,680
says. 
But since we have a great high 

438
00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:12,720
priest, in other words, I'm 
safe. 

439
00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:18,280
I don't have to worry about 
Christ standing before me as my 

440
00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,600
executioner. 
He is my Savior. 

441
00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:26,280
He has redeemed me forever and I
belong to Him. 

442
00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,800
And that's something you and I 
are to take comfort in. 

443
00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:34,200
Yes, his eyes are flames of 
fire, but he is also the one who

444
00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:38,840
stands in the gap for you and I.
So he looks at these eyes of 

445
00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:43,400
fire and that theme of judgement
continues in verse 15 of 

446
00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:46,680
Revelation One. 
His feet were like burnished 

447
00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:51,800
bronze refined in a furnace, and
his voice was like the roar of 

448
00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:56,760
many waters. 
So when I came to this point, I 

449
00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:59,360
thought this could be 
overwhelming for people. 

450
00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:05,840
Maybe not now, because hopefully
you're getting explanation 

451
00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:08,680
that's clear, but just for your 
engagement with the word of God 

452
00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:11,120
and told like, how, how am I 
supposed to interpret these 

453
00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:13,360
things? 
I need some kind of guidance 

454
00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:15,040
here. 
And, and, and, and I'm aware 

455
00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:18,120
that people feel that way about 
some portions of the Scripture. 

456
00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:19,840
And I'm also aware that there 
are people who are overly 

457
00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:21,760
confident and want to make the 
Bible say anything that they 

458
00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:28,200
want and that's dangerous. 
But please, let me point you to 

459
00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:30,760
something. 
It's a simple rule when you come

460
00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:33,160
to something like this, like his
feet are like burnished bronze 

461
00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:36,000
refining a furnace. 
And you heard me say that this 

462
00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,080
is referring to judgement. 
How did I come to that 

463
00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:39,960
conclusion? 
It's very. 

464
00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,520
Simple. 
I'm looking at the wider and the

465
00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:45,480
more immediate context to see if
there are any clues. 

466
00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:47,920
Is there anything that I can 
work with that can bring me to a

467
00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:50,640
clear conclusion? 
And, and there are clues out 

468
00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:55,640
there, so here's one example. 
More frequently than not, 

469
00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:57,920
whenever you see the material 
bronze mentioned in the 

470
00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:00,680
Scriptures, it refers to an 
object of judgement. 

471
00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:05,560
So in the Tabernacle, that altar
which was the platform for all 

472
00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:09,440
these animal sacrifices to be 
placed on, that altar was made 

473
00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:12,920
out of bronze. 
Or when you think about Moses 

474
00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,600
leading the people through the 
wilderness and they once again 

475
00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:19,200
express their unbelief, and then
God released serpents to bite 

476
00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:21,480
them. 
Moses was instructed to craft a 

477
00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:25,920
serpent, to place it on a pole 
and to raise it up so that all 

478
00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:28,520
who would look upon it would be 
healed. 

479
00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:30,040
What was that serpent made out 
of? 

480
00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:34,240
Bronze. 
It's a picture of the cross. 

481
00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:36,680
So bronze. 
Bronze. 

482
00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:41,360
That's the dominant connection 
with judgment, with wrath. 

483
00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:44,480
And then we come to this 
description of Jesus feet and 

484
00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:46,840
we're told that they were 
burnished like burnished bronze.

485
00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,840
OK, I'm a step closer now. 
Is there anything in this 

486
00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:53,800
neighborhood that can help me 
understand what's happening 

487
00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,560
here? 
Yes, because the feet like 

488
00:30:56,560 --> 00:31:01,160
burnished bronze is mentioned in
another section and it's tied to

489
00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:04,960
the eyes of flaming fire, which 
we already heard what it's 

490
00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:06,280
about. 
It's about judgement. 

491
00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:11,640
Where do we find that? 
Look at Revelation 2 and look at

492
00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:17,880
verse 18 quickly. 
And to the Angel of the church 

493
00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:22,120
in Thyatira, write the words of 
the Son of God, who has eyes 

494
00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:26,400
like a flame of fire and whose 
feet are like burnished bronze. 

495
00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:29,200
And what is he ready to tell 
this church? 

496
00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:34,680
You have false teaching in 
there, and there is a false 

497
00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:36,680
teacher who is seducing my 
servants. 

498
00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:39,360
And you're not doing anything 
about it, though I gave you time

499
00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:41,760
to repent. 
So I'm introducing myself to you

500
00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:47,080
in this way. 
I see everything and if eyes 

501
00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:50,960
speak of knowledge, then feet 
surely speak of action. 

502
00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:54,840
It's not just I see what's 
happening, I'm going to do 

503
00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:58,240
something about it. 
And that is exactly what we have

504
00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:02,760
here. 
Jesus Christ is always ready to 

505
00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:07,560
purify His people by making His 
way towards those who are 

506
00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:13,360
sinning and subduing them, sin 
and sinners within, because He 

507
00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:16,520
moves throughout His church as 
the constant guardian of it. 

508
00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:20,440
Go to Revelation 21. 
Notice what he does with his 

509
00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,240
feet to the Angel, the church in
Ephesus. 

510
00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:25,480
Write the words of him who holds
the seven stars in his right 

511
00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:30,120
hand, who does what? 
Who walks, who walks among the 

512
00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:34,520
seven golden lampstands. 
So what is he doing? 

513
00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:39,440
He's surveying his entire 
church. 

514
00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:45,680
The Lord Jesus Christ is in our 
midst even now, and he's at the 

515
00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:48,400
church down the street at the 
same time, and he's at the 

516
00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:52,640
church in China and another 
church in Africa. 

517
00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,640
He's there. 
He's walking among the seven 

518
00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:59,240
golden lampstands. 
You know where my my mind went 

519
00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:03,120
when I was looking at this the 
other night when Satan 

520
00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:05,720
approached God in the book of 
Job and the Lord asked him, 

521
00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:08,360
where where have you been? 
And he said, what? 

522
00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:15,120
Walking to and fro on the earth.
So Satan is, is always walking, 

523
00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:18,400
always watching, always looking 
for an opportunity to attempt, 

524
00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:20,760
to destroy, to steal. 
That's what he's doing. 

525
00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:23,680
The world is his domain. 
And though Christ, yes, he is 

526
00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:27,440
omniscient, he's omnipresent. 
He's he pays special attention 

527
00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:31,520
to his church. 
He's walking among his people 

528
00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:37,960
and his feet are glowing. 
They are pure, and His church 

529
00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:41,480
must be holy ground. 
And so His eyes speak of 

530
00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:43,560
knowledge, His feet speak of 
action. 

531
00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:46,760
And I want to let you know that 
Christ since he pend this, has 

532
00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:50,000
been working in His church. 
Whenever you see a scandal 

533
00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:54,920
exposed in a church and 
ministers disqualify themselves,

534
00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:59,480
that is Christ with His feet 
like burnished bronze, moving 

535
00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:04,520
and acting in that church. 
Whenever you see those in the 

536
00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:08,480
church who tolerate sin, who 
cause division, who who are not 

537
00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:13,040
truly of the Lord, and things 
are revealed and things are 

538
00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:15,560
dealt with, that is Christ 
purging His church. 

539
00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:18,360
He has been doing it for 
thousands of years. 

540
00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:20,480
He will continue to do it until 
he returns. 

541
00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:26,120
His feel like burnished bronze, 
but John's gaze moves from 

542
00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:30,560
Christ's feet to his right hand,
then to his mouth and back to 

543
00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,120
his face. 
He's trying to capture every 

544
00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:35,600
aspect of his glory. 
It's as though John is 

545
00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:38,639
overwhelmed. 
He's just looking up and down at

546
00:34:38,639 --> 00:34:42,920
Christ and so yes, he sees his 
feet, but his eyes now bounced 

547
00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:45,320
to his hand and what does he see
especially in his right hand. 

548
00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:49,880
Verse 16 of Revelation one in 
his right hand he held seven 

549
00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,880
stars from his mouth came a 
sharp. 

550
00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:57,120
Two edged sword and his face was
like the sun shining in full 

551
00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:00,760
strength. 
Let's look at these quickly. 

552
00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:04,200
In his right hand he held seven 
stars. 

553
00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,000
Jesus gave the interpretation in
verse 20. 

554
00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:10,360
The seven lampstands are the 
seven churches, but what about 

555
00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:14,880
the seven stars? 
They are the angels of the seven

556
00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:19,400
churches, angels of the seven 
churches. 

557
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,080
So if you're not careful, you 
may interpret this as well. 

558
00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,880
Every single local church has 
been assigned a guardian Angel. 

559
00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:30,480
Some believe that, but here's 
the problem with that. 

560
00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:35,400
John was asked. 
To take this book and to write 

561
00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,440
it to the angels of each of 
these churches. 

562
00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:41,920
We read it earlier that every 
letter begins with to the Angel 

563
00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:47,480
of the Church and wherever so to
imagine that John was to receive

564
00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:50,120
this revelation from. 
Christ only to give it back to a

565
00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:52,880
celestial creature. 
For that celestial being to now 

566
00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:55,640
give it to the church seems 
doesn't seem right. 

567
00:35:57,720 --> 00:36:01,040
It's very difficult to reconcile
how angels are considered 

568
00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:07,320
leaders in the local church. 
Here's where if we knew and read

569
00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:10,040
Greek would help because if we 
had this in the Greek, then it 

570
00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:12,360
would make a little bit more 
sense because the word Angel in 

571
00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:15,120
the Greek simply is angulos and 
it means messenger. 

572
00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:18,400
And throughout the New 
Testament, that word is 

573
00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:22,360
primarily used for spiritual 
beings, heavenly beings, yes, 

574
00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:25,400
but it's also used for human 
agents. 

575
00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:28,960
So if you're taking those, list 
these references for you to look

576
00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:33,320
at it for yourself. 
And Luke Chapter 7 and verse 24,

577
00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:37,640
when John's disciples came to 
Christ to ask, are you the one, 

578
00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:39,160
or are we supposed to wait for 
another? 

579
00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:43,680
And Luke 724, it says when 
John's messengers had gone, that

580
00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:47,000
word messengers is the same one 
as Anglos here as Angel. 

581
00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:51,840
And then when Jesus goes on to 
describe the faithfulness and 

582
00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:56,240
the uniqueness of John's office,
he says in Luke 727, this is he 

583
00:36:56,240 --> 00:37:00,160
of whom it is written, Behold, I
send my messenger Anglos. 

584
00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:05,360
I send my messenger same word. 
You'll you even. 

585
00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:08,720
Find it in the book of James 
when Rahab is being praised for 

586
00:37:08,720 --> 00:37:12,240
her faith and we're told there 
in James chapter 225 that when 

587
00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:18,320
she received the messengers once
again the same word Anglos. 

588
00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:21,520
So when you see. 
The word Angel, what you're 

589
00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:24,960
really seeing is messenger, and 
depending on the context, you'll

590
00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:27,200
know that this is a heavenly 
messenger or this is an earthly 

591
00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:30,360
messenger. 
And I'm more convinced that what

592
00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:34,200
Jesus is referring to here. 
Our earthly messengers, more 

593
00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:38,440
specifically the elders and the 
pastors of these churches, 

594
00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:44,400
especially the elder of the 
church who is responsible for 

595
00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:50,720
speaking to the people of God. 
So who is Jesus holding in his 

596
00:37:50,720 --> 00:37:52,560
right hand? 
Pastors. 

597
00:37:56,080 --> 00:37:59,240
That means a few things. 
One, it means that he's in 

598
00:37:59,240 --> 00:38:03,240
control of pastors. 
Let me let me say it this way, 

599
00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:06,320
Jesus Christ hires and fires 
pastors. 

600
00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:11,080
I know you can get a degree and 
you can look for a job by 

601
00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:15,120
vacation and God can use that to
bring a faithful pastor to a 

602
00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:17,960
flock. 
But ultimately he's the CEO of 

603
00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:24,320
his church. 
He hires, He fires always, but 

604
00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:27,720
not just that, it speaks of how 
He provides pastors. 

605
00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:32,200
So something in my hand 
signifies I own it, but it can 

606
00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:37,600
also mean that I can extend it. 
Jesus Christ gives pastors to 

607
00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:40,720
people. 
It's an extension of His grace 

608
00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:43,360
and gift. 
That sounds a little awkward as 

609
00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:48,440
I say it, but it's just an 
objective truth that He gives 

610
00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:52,680
these kind of ministers to build
up the body of Christ. 

611
00:38:55,000 --> 00:39:02,800
Lastly, it speaks here of His 
protection, His protection of 

612
00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:06,920
His under shepherds. 
Yes, every single one of us are 

613
00:39:06,920 --> 00:39:10,880
in the grip of Christ's hand, 
and no one can pluck us out of 

614
00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:11,640
His hand. 
Amen. 

615
00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:15,560
But what this also means, what's
being emphasized here is that 

616
00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:19,120
those who stand in the front 
lines are in the grip of the 

617
00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:24,360
Almighty, those who take the 
most hits, those who have to 

618
00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:29,160
deal with the forces of Satan as
they guard and protect to the 

619
00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:31,280
best of their ability, by the 
grace of God, the people that 

620
00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:34,320
are responsible to them. 
Christ wants to let these 

621
00:39:34,320 --> 00:39:37,760
pastors know I'm holding you. 
I'm with you. 

622
00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,320
And Speaking of protection, that
is exactly what the next part is

623
00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:46,200
all about. 
From His mouth has come A2 edged

624
00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:51,560
sword that speaks of the power 
of His Word, namely in 

625
00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:54,920
judgement. 
And this two edged sword here, 

626
00:39:56,440 --> 00:40:01,000
it's primarily for the Church of
Jesus Christ and his defense of 

627
00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:05,560
the church you're going to find 
in Revelation 19 when he strikes

628
00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:07,440
the nations that come against 
his people. 

629
00:40:08,280 --> 00:40:10,440
But before you go to. 
Revelation 19, you actually find

630
00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:12,600
it mentioned here with these 
churches. 

631
00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:14,920
You're saying where? 
Look at chapter 2 verse 16. 

632
00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:21,800
He says you're therefore repent.
If not, I will come to you soon 

633
00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:24,160
and war against them with the 
sword of my mouth. 

634
00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:27,200
Why is He saying that to this 
church? 

635
00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:30,600
Because again, there are false 
teachers in it, sowing discord, 

636
00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:33,520
sowing false teaching, promoting
false doctrine. 

637
00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:36,720
And Jesus is telling these 
specific individuals, I will go 

638
00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:40,080
to war with you because I am 
passionate about the purity of 

639
00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:43,760
my church. 
So what the sword of His mouth 

640
00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:46,840
means is that He will single out
people who cause trouble in this

641
00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:50,120
church, and He will successfully
conquer them. 

642
00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:55,160
As he's holding his pastors and 
as he's walking with those eyes 

643
00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:58,040
of fire and those feet like 
burnished bronze, he will also 

644
00:40:58,200 --> 00:41:02,200
look out for those that cause 
harm and deal with them 

645
00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:08,320
accordingly. 
You know, if you were the 

646
00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:12,720
original readers of this and 
hearing about persecution, what 

647
00:41:12,720 --> 00:41:15,120
Rome is doing to believers, this
would highly encourage you, 

648
00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:19,720
wouldn't it? 
We're safe and, and, and if and 

649
00:41:19,720 --> 00:41:22,720
if anything happens to us, it's 
because our great God permitted 

650
00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:27,640
it for his glory. 
Can I say one more thing? 

651
00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:31,760
What was in his right hand? 
Seven stars. 

652
00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:35,360
But notice the last description 
of verse 16. 

653
00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:40,400
And his face was like the sun 
shining in full strength. 

654
00:41:42,760 --> 00:41:47,200
Do stars illuminate? 
Yes they do. 

655
00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:52,320
They give out light. 
But what is outshining the 

656
00:41:52,320 --> 00:41:55,120
stars? 
The face of Jesus Christ. 

657
00:41:56,600 --> 00:42:01,040
You may love your pastor, you 
may think that he is gifted. 

658
00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:03,440
You may think that without them 
you couldn't be this or you 

659
00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:05,000
couldn't know that. 
Can I tell you something? 

660
00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:08,040
They are nothing in comparison 
to Christ. 

661
00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:13,720
His light outshines that of the 
greatest of ministers. 

662
00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:17,320
And if you see any goodness come
from a minister, you have to 

663
00:42:17,320 --> 00:42:19,960
realize that the source of that 
light comes from the one whose 

664
00:42:19,960 --> 00:42:24,960
face outshines them all. 
If you're going to fall in love 

665
00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:27,680
with anybody, if you're going to
be moved and impressed by 

666
00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:32,320
anybody's preaching or character
or love or counselor or wisdom, 

667
00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:40,040
let it be Christ, always Christ.
So these stars are, I can 

668
00:42:40,040 --> 00:42:44,160
imagine how yes, John recognize 
them, but they paled in 

669
00:42:44,160 --> 00:42:48,080
comparison to what was radiating
from the face of Jesus. 

670
00:42:49,120 --> 00:42:56,120
May that be our vision always. 
This also reminds us of what 

671
00:42:56,120 --> 00:42:57,920
John experienced while Christ 
was on earth. 

672
00:43:00,040 --> 00:43:02,880
Peter, James and John were the 
inner circle of Christ's 

673
00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:05,080
disciples and one day he brings 
them up to the top of the 

674
00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:07,600
mountain to reveal His glory. 
We know it to be the mount of 

675
00:43:07,600 --> 00:43:11,080
Transfiguration and one of the 
descriptions that of that 

676
00:43:11,080 --> 00:43:13,000
experiences that He shone like 
the sun. 

677
00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:18,520
But I want you to see the 
reaction of John in this case. 

678
00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:22,240
It says here in verse 17, when I
saw him, I fell at his feet as 

679
00:43:22,240 --> 00:43:25,800
though dead, but He laid his 
right hand on me, saying, fear 

680
00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:29,600
not, I am the 1st and the last. 
If you actually go back to 

681
00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:32,240
Matthew 17 verse six, you don't 
have to turn there. 

682
00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:37,120
When the disciples witnessed 
Christ in his glory and this 

683
00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:40,440
glory cloud overshadowed him and
Elijah and Moses and a voice 

684
00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:43,040
came from that cloud saying this
is my beloved Son and whom I am.

685
00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:46,280
Well, please listen to him. 
We're told there Matthew 17 that

686
00:43:46,280 --> 00:43:48,960
they. 
Fell and were terrified. 

687
00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:53,080
The same John who witnessed that
on that mountain. 

688
00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:55,760
Now in this vision he falls. 
But is he terrified? 

689
00:43:56,520 --> 00:44:01,040
No, he falls as though he died. 
Why? 

690
00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:03,800
Because as glorious as the 
amount of transfiguration was, 

691
00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:09,320
this is more glorious. 
He is so overtaken, so 

692
00:44:09,320 --> 00:44:14,320
overwhelmed by the sight that he
crumbles at the feet of Jesus. 

693
00:44:16,240 --> 00:44:19,640
And many people come to this 
verse to point out John's 

694
00:44:19,640 --> 00:44:23,600
reaction to the pure presence of
Christ, and rightfully so. 

695
00:44:24,360 --> 00:44:26,760
But I'm afraid that people and 
wanting to emphasize the 

696
00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:32,880
holiness of Christ, miss out on 
Jesus's reaction to John's 

697
00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:36,320
reaction. 
So John responds in this way. 

698
00:44:36,320 --> 00:44:41,040
But notice how Christ responds 
to John says here in verse 17 

699
00:44:41,040 --> 00:44:44,000
saying fear not, I am the 1st 
and the last. 

700
00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:47,680
Now listen, I shared this on a 
Wednesday night prayer evening. 

701
00:44:48,840 --> 00:44:54,440
If I see somebody distressed, 
it's one thing for me to look at

702
00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:57,280
them in their distress and say 
it's going to be OK. 

703
00:44:58,880 --> 00:45:01,360
But wouldn't you say it would be
completely different in terms of

704
00:45:01,360 --> 00:45:05,560
counsel and comfort and 
assurance if I stooped down to 

705
00:45:05,560 --> 00:45:10,160
that poor soul and put my hand 
on them and said it's going to 

706
00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:14,640
be OK? 
Jesus didn't just look at John 

707
00:45:14,640 --> 00:45:18,280
and say fear not. 
Jesus reached out his hand, 

708
00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:23,240
touched him and says fear not. 
What are you to make of that? 

709
00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:28,520
That this Jesus and all his 
splendor and majesty and 

710
00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:35,040
brilliance and power, you can't 
even stand there and register it

711
00:45:35,040 --> 00:45:42,600
before you collapse. 
This Jesus is approachable, This

712
00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:45,360
Jesus though he is. 
Far. 

713
00:45:45,360 --> 00:45:49,280
More infinitely, more glorious 
than us does not want a distance

714
00:45:49,280 --> 00:45:53,520
between us. 
He wants you to feel the 

715
00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:56,680
boldness and the confidence to 
come near to Him, and He longs 

716
00:45:56,680 --> 00:46:00,280
to draw near to us, at a 
touching distance, if you will. 

717
00:46:01,760 --> 00:46:04,040
Is that how you see Christ and 
his glory today? 

718
00:46:06,720 --> 00:46:11,680
Is that how you view Jesus and 
all his moral majesty? 

719
00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:15,800
Do you believe that he's 
actually this tender hearted 

720
00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:19,280
towards you or do you feel like 
there's a gap? 

721
00:46:19,360 --> 00:46:21,400
Oh yeah, I know. 
Jesus died on the cross and he 

722
00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:23,480
made the bridge between man and 
God so that we can be 

723
00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:25,480
reconciled. 
Then I'm talking on a personal, 

724
00:46:25,480 --> 00:46:28,480
relational level. 
Do you see yourself in John's 

725
00:46:28,480 --> 00:46:33,760
shoes here? 
Not just stunned by his beauty, 

726
00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:36,080
but also moved by his 
compassion. 

727
00:46:37,440 --> 00:46:40,440
He reaches out his hand. 
He says fear not. 

728
00:46:41,160 --> 00:46:43,600
And the reason why he can say 
fear not is because he reminds 

729
00:46:43,600 --> 00:46:45,920
John of who he has just 
witnessed. 

730
00:46:46,920 --> 00:46:54,240
John I'm the 1st and the last. 
Another autograph concerning His

731
00:46:54,240 --> 00:46:58,400
deity I am the 1st and the last 
that is a title that exclusively

732
00:46:58,400 --> 00:46:59,960
belongs to the Lord in the Old 
Testament. 

733
00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:04,120
If anybody ever comes up to you 
and says you tell me where Jesus

734
00:47:04,120 --> 00:47:09,800
said I am God gladly Revelation 
One verse 17. 

735
00:47:10,720 --> 00:47:13,040
Jesus himself said I am the 1st 
and the last. 

736
00:47:13,800 --> 00:47:16,160
Where do you find that? 
In Isaiah 44 verse 6? 

737
00:47:16,160 --> 00:47:17,880
Write it down and don't you dare
forget it. 

738
00:47:19,120 --> 00:47:24,120
Where Yahweh says about himself 
that He the King of Israel, and 

739
00:47:24,120 --> 00:47:28,280
his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts,
I am the 1st and I am the last. 

740
00:47:28,760 --> 00:47:33,840
Besides me there is no God. 
But hold on, you're telling me 

741
00:47:33,840 --> 00:47:38,000
Revelation 117 is about Christ 
being God? 

742
00:47:40,240 --> 00:47:46,240
Does God die because verse 18 
says and the living one, I died 

743
00:47:46,240 --> 00:47:49,400
and behold, I am alive 
forevermore and I have the keys 

744
00:47:49,400 --> 00:47:53,440
of death and Hades. 
No, we don't believe God died, 

745
00:47:54,200 --> 00:47:57,760
Hold on. 
But we do believe that He took 

746
00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:02,120
on flesh and with that body 
being laid down as a sacrifice 

747
00:48:02,120 --> 00:48:07,000
for redemptive purpose, yes, He 
did die, only to resurrect and 

748
00:48:07,000 --> 00:48:11,080
remain flesh forever as an 
emblem of His great love and 

749
00:48:11,080 --> 00:48:14,920
sacrifice toward us. 
The only way you can explain 

750
00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:17,960
someone who claims to be the 
first and the last dying and 

751
00:48:17,960 --> 00:48:22,320
coming back to life is Christ. 
There's no other way. 

752
00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:24,720
There's no other person who fits
this. 

753
00:48:24,720 --> 00:48:30,400
And that's the point. 
Jesus is emphasizing his divine 

754
00:48:30,400 --> 00:48:34,560
nature, but also reminding John,
I'm the same one that you saw, 

755
00:48:34,560 --> 00:48:36,880
that you walk with, that you ate
with. 

756
00:48:37,600 --> 00:48:40,880
I die, but I'm alive now. 
And not just alive, I'm alive 

757
00:48:40,880 --> 00:48:43,960
forever more. 
He's never going to die again. 

758
00:48:44,480 --> 00:48:46,800
There's no other sacrifice that 
needs to be made again. 

759
00:48:47,560 --> 00:48:51,760
And here's the thing, we will 
share in that eternal promise. 

760
00:48:51,760 --> 00:48:53,720
In what sense? 
Well, we'll have a resurrection 

761
00:48:53,720 --> 00:48:55,480
like His. 
So in the same way that He is 

762
00:48:55,480 --> 00:48:58,640
alive forevermore, if we are in 
Him and will be raised by Him, 

763
00:48:58,920 --> 00:49:00,680
then we too will never die 
again. 

764
00:49:02,000 --> 00:49:05,400
In fact, there's a day coming 
where this glorious Christ with 

765
00:49:05,400 --> 00:49:08,520
His voice, according to John 
chapter 5, will call out to the 

766
00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:11,600
tombs, and all those tombs will 
respond, some unto the 

767
00:49:11,600 --> 00:49:14,520
resurrection of life, others 
unto the resurrection of 

768
00:49:14,520 --> 00:49:18,280
judgement. 
I missed it, didn't I? 

769
00:49:18,920 --> 00:49:21,640
Where he talks about in verse 
15, his voice was like the roar 

770
00:49:21,640 --> 00:49:24,680
of many waters. 
That's powerful. 

771
00:49:25,520 --> 00:49:28,760
I was born and raised in Canada 
and many people want to see 

772
00:49:28,760 --> 00:49:31,960
Niagara Falls. 
I've seen it many times and 

773
00:49:31,960 --> 00:49:36,440
apart from the sight of that 
amount of water that's just 

774
00:49:36,680 --> 00:49:38,880
continually gushing, it's the 
sound. 

775
00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:45,240
It's just otherworldly. 
You can almost feel it the base 

776
00:49:45,240 --> 00:49:49,320
in your chest that's Jesus voice
and one day it's going to call 

777
00:49:49,320 --> 00:49:51,520
out to the graves and they're 
all going to respond. 

778
00:49:52,480 --> 00:49:55,840
In fact, if you want to do more 
Old Testament study voice like 

779
00:49:55,840 --> 00:49:58,840
the roar of many waters that's 
ascribed to the voice of God in 

780
00:49:58,840 --> 00:50:04,400
Ezekiel meaning what? 
Well, he's God if you haven't 

781
00:50:04,400 --> 00:50:11,120
got it yet. 
Now what happens next says I 

782
00:50:11,120 --> 00:50:14,120
have the keys of death in Hades.
In other words, because I 

783
00:50:14,120 --> 00:50:17,680
conquer death, I am now the 
owner of death and the grave, 

784
00:50:19,400 --> 00:50:21,440
which means many things. 
Can I tell you how it comforts 

785
00:50:21,440 --> 00:50:24,640
me? 
If I belong to him, then he 

786
00:50:24,640 --> 00:50:28,640
determines the timing of my 
death and the means of my death.

787
00:50:30,200 --> 00:50:34,040
So why are you afraid of a 
future potential doctor report? 

788
00:50:36,440 --> 00:50:38,680
What? 
Why are you afraid of accidents?

789
00:50:40,000 --> 00:50:43,360
Why are you concerned about your
safety to the degree that it 

790
00:50:43,360 --> 00:50:50,360
paralyzes you in life? 
Death lost its keys, Hades. 

791
00:50:50,360 --> 00:50:53,320
The grave lost its keys. 
Christ has it in his hand. 

792
00:50:54,000 --> 00:50:56,560
And the same way He has those 
pastors and he has you in his 

793
00:50:56,560 --> 00:51:00,040
hands, He has that domain in his
possession. 

794
00:51:00,040 --> 00:51:02,600
So what does that mean when it's
time? 

795
00:51:02,600 --> 00:51:04,240
He'll put the key in the 
keyhole, open it up. 

796
00:51:04,240 --> 00:51:07,720
It says it's time for you to go.
You. 

797
00:51:07,720 --> 00:51:09,400
Not yet. 
I still have more work for you 

798
00:51:09,400 --> 00:51:11,080
to do. 
But when you're ready to go, 

799
00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:12,520
it's time for you to go. 
Let's go. 

800
00:51:13,560 --> 00:51:17,080
Isn't that freeing? 
They freed me this week. 

801
00:51:18,360 --> 00:51:20,120
But then he goes on to see 
something that we've covered 

802
00:51:20,120 --> 00:51:23,200
before, right? 
Therefore, in verse 19, the 

803
00:51:23,200 --> 00:51:26,800
things that you have seen, those
that are and those that are to 

804
00:51:26,800 --> 00:51:29,600
take place after this, we 
confirm that this is the outline

805
00:51:29,600 --> 00:51:31,560
of the Book of Revelation. 
But let me add something else. 

806
00:51:32,520 --> 00:51:37,000
Don't you find it interesting 
that Jesus revealing Himself in 

807
00:51:37,000 --> 00:51:39,360
this way to John doesn't do it 
to these churches? 

808
00:51:41,280 --> 00:51:43,600
Let me put it this way. 
Is it possible that Christ could

809
00:51:43,600 --> 00:51:48,280
appear to the church in Ephesus 
and Smyrna and Pergamum in the 

810
00:51:48,280 --> 00:51:50,400
middle of a meeting, show up in 
the same way that he revealed 

811
00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:52,680
himself to John? 
Yeah, he could have. 

812
00:51:52,800 --> 00:51:55,720
Who says he can't? 
He chooses not to, though. 

813
00:51:57,440 --> 00:52:00,960
He appears like this before a 
credible eyewitness, one of his 

814
00:52:00,960 --> 00:52:05,840
apostles, for the apostle, then 
to write it down and then give 

815
00:52:05,840 --> 00:52:10,280
it to the church. 
Here's what this tells me that 

816
00:52:10,280 --> 00:52:15,920
God's primary way of revealing 
His glory to His people is in a 

817
00:52:15,920 --> 00:52:20,600
book. 
This is the window that you will

818
00:52:20,600 --> 00:52:23,480
look through in order to behold 
the glory of Christ. 

819
00:52:24,240 --> 00:52:26,760
That's what he designed even in 
the early church. 

820
00:52:27,280 --> 00:52:30,560
He goes right at John. 
And let this book be the means 

821
00:52:30,560 --> 00:52:32,400
by which people will see who I 
am. 

822
00:52:33,400 --> 00:52:35,720
So do you want to experience the
glory of Christ? 

823
00:52:36,040 --> 00:52:39,560
Do you want to study? 
All that He is and how that 

824
00:52:39,560 --> 00:52:42,880
relates to you, you're not going
to get it any other way than 

825
00:52:42,880 --> 00:52:45,600
through this book. 
Write it down. 

826
00:52:46,760 --> 00:52:51,440
And that's why we have Bible in 
the name of our church, because 

827
00:52:51,440 --> 00:52:54,000
this is how God wants to 
communicate to us and how we 

828
00:52:54,000 --> 00:52:58,160
experience Him. 
And here's the encouraging part.

829
00:52:58,160 --> 00:53:01,440
Look at verse 20. 
As for the mystery of the seven 

830
00:53:01,440 --> 00:53:03,520
stars that you saw on my right 
hand and the seven golden 

831
00:53:03,520 --> 00:53:06,240
lampstands, the seven stars of 
the angels of the seven 

832
00:53:06,240 --> 00:53:08,080
churches, and the seven 
lampstands are the seven 

833
00:53:08,080 --> 00:53:09,200
churches. 
What's Jesus doing here? 

834
00:53:09,200 --> 00:53:14,440
He's explaining, John, I know 
that that was a mystery to you, 

835
00:53:14,440 --> 00:53:16,640
seeing those seven stars and 
those 7 golden lampstands, but 

836
00:53:16,640 --> 00:53:18,240
here I'm here to tell you what 
they mean. 

837
00:53:20,720 --> 00:53:23,640
Jesus Christ is ready to teach 
you and I His Word. 

838
00:53:25,240 --> 00:53:28,880
You have to believe that if this
is the means by which we 

839
00:53:28,880 --> 00:53:31,280
experience him and see him, then
surely He will be gracious 

840
00:53:31,280 --> 00:53:33,800
enough to help us see him and 
hear Him. 

841
00:53:35,280 --> 00:53:38,880
There's a promise that Paul made
to Timothy and he makes it to 

842
00:53:38,880 --> 00:53:41,400
us. 
He says, and I'll just quote it 

843
00:53:41,400 --> 00:53:47,160
to you in Second Timothy 27. 
Think over what I say, for the 

844
00:53:47,160 --> 00:53:51,400
Lord will give you understanding
and everything. 

845
00:53:53,080 --> 00:53:55,760
That's after he hurried and 
giving him metaphors of what the

846
00:53:55,760 --> 00:54:00,680
Christian life is like and he 
says, Timothy, if you do your 

847
00:54:00,680 --> 00:54:03,640
part to take this seriously 
enough to think about it, 

848
00:54:04,120 --> 00:54:08,640
meditate on it, compare it, talk
about it, Here's God's promise 

849
00:54:08,640 --> 00:54:10,320
to you. 
I'm going to give you 

850
00:54:10,320 --> 00:54:13,360
understanding in it. 
Now here's what's important as 

851
00:54:13,360 --> 00:54:16,600
we continue revelation. 
That verse is a promise us when 

852
00:54:16,600 --> 00:54:17,800
he's going to give us 
understanding. 

853
00:54:18,920 --> 00:54:20,680
Some of us want understanding 
right away. 

854
00:54:20,760 --> 00:54:24,560
Doesn't happen like that. 
He will do it at the right time.

855
00:54:25,040 --> 00:54:27,560
Nor does he promise the way in 
which he will do it. 

856
00:54:28,600 --> 00:54:31,040
You know, I have some people who
refuse to learn anything about 

857
00:54:31,040 --> 00:54:33,480
God's Word unless they have it 
in their own subjective 

858
00:54:33,640 --> 00:54:35,840
experience, unless it comes 
straight here. 

859
00:54:36,240 --> 00:54:38,080
Downloaded here. 
That's the only way that they 

860
00:54:38,080 --> 00:54:40,760
want to receive truth. 
But but God's ways are larger 

861
00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:43,480
than our ways. 
He can give you and I 

862
00:54:43,480 --> 00:54:47,120
understanding here when somebody
preaches. 

863
00:54:48,080 --> 00:54:50,000
And you learn and go. 
That's the Lord giving me 

864
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:52,320
understanding. 
He can do it when somebody hands

865
00:54:52,320 --> 00:54:54,840
you books of men that God has 
used to explain things in the 

866
00:54:54,840 --> 00:54:56,520
scriptures. 
He can do it at a time of 

867
00:54:56,520 --> 00:54:58,200
prayer. 
He can do it over a cup of 

868
00:54:58,200 --> 00:54:59,680
coffee. 
When you're talking to a spirit 

869
00:54:59,680 --> 00:55:01,920
filled brother and they bring up
something about something you 

870
00:55:01,920 --> 00:55:03,840
never knew about or something 
that you were confused about. 

871
00:55:03,840 --> 00:55:05,720
God uses Him to bring you 
understanding. 

872
00:55:06,440 --> 00:55:09,680
But here's the promise. 
If God wants to speak to us 

873
00:55:09,680 --> 00:55:13,480
through this, He will indeed 
reveal Himself if you desire it.

874
00:55:14,080 --> 00:55:17,240
If you desire. 
It well, I think that's enough 

875
00:55:17,240 --> 00:55:20,240
for one Sunday. 
Let's give Him thanks for all 

876
00:55:20,240 --> 00:55:24,280
that He has done and how He has 
revealed Himself to us in His 

877
00:55:24,280 --> 00:55:45,110
Word. 
Lord, we sometimes feel the 

878
00:55:45,110 --> 00:55:50,310
daunting task of trying to 
describe Your Son Jesus Christ. 

879
00:55:53,590 --> 00:55:57,670
Keep us from all error, from all
human interpretation. 

880
00:55:59,190 --> 00:56:04,470
We pray, Lord, that we would 
have the Spirit's help in our 

881
00:56:04,470 --> 00:56:09,840
journey of knowing who You are. 
Lord, if if our hearts are not 

882
00:56:09,840 --> 00:56:13,920
captivated by who you are, we do
ask for your help. 

883
00:56:14,800 --> 00:56:17,960
Change us. 
And Lord, help us believe that 

884
00:56:17,960 --> 00:56:19,320
you were in the midst of Your 
church. 

885
00:56:20,080 --> 00:56:21,800
Help us believe that You're 
holding on to us. 

886
00:56:22,440 --> 00:56:26,800
Help us believe that even when 
we fall apart, when we realize 

887
00:56:28,680 --> 00:56:31,560
how we come short of Your glory,
You're right there ready to 

888
00:56:31,560 --> 00:56:33,880
bring us up again and comfort 
us. 

889
00:56:34,160 --> 00:56:37,240
You remind us that you've 
conquered death, that we belong 

890
00:56:37,240 --> 00:56:39,240
to you not because of what we've
done, but because what you've 

891
00:56:39,240 --> 00:56:44,280
done on our behalf. 
So Lord, with our attempt to try

892
00:56:44,280 --> 00:56:48,040
to understand who you are, help 
us now sing to you in the way 

893
00:56:48,040 --> 00:56:50,720
that you deserve. 
And we believe that you, the 

894
00:56:50,720 --> 00:56:52,960
living Christ, see us and hear 
us. 

895
00:56:52,960 --> 00:56:55,840
And Lord, we do pray for your 
special protection over this 

896
00:56:55,840 --> 00:56:58,880
church, that it would be what 
you wanted to be. 

897
00:56:58,880 --> 00:57:03,920
And as we prepare to study the 
churches of Asia, help us in 

898
00:57:03,920 --> 00:57:07,280
humility and hunger conform to 
your way so that you would be 

899
00:57:07,280 --> 00:57:15,360
pleased by this place. 
We love you Lord, and we want to

900
00:57:15,360 --> 00:57:19,520
express it now to you in song. 
In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 

901
00:57:20,880 --> 00:57:53,880
Let's stand church. 
If I can be transparent and 

902
00:57:53,880 --> 00:57:57,800
share my experience this week in
preparation for this Sunday in a

903
00:57:57,800 --> 00:58:01,720
good way, it was overwhelming. 
And I thought to myself, if it's

904
00:58:01,720 --> 00:58:06,120
overwhelming for me to look at 
the descriptions with black ink 

905
00:58:06,120 --> 00:58:09,840
on white pages, what was it like
for John to see it with his own 

906
00:58:09,840 --> 00:58:13,000
eyes? 
And we're going to see him one 

907
00:58:13,000 --> 00:58:16,360
day, but not just see him one 
day. 

908
00:58:16,800 --> 00:58:20,440
What you just heard this Sunday 
is what Christ is doing in His 

909
00:58:20,440 --> 00:58:25,960
church now. 
He's walking, He's purging, He's

910
00:58:25,960 --> 00:58:30,520
strengthening, He's protecting. 
And for the next few weeks we're

911
00:58:30,520 --> 00:58:35,000
going to look at what Christ is 
saying to His church and He's 

912
00:58:35,000 --> 00:58:37,840
going to be speaking to us in 
many ways, and I'm looking 

913
00:58:37,840 --> 00:58:39,600
forward to it. 
I got to tell you something, 

914
00:58:40,680 --> 00:58:42,960
once Sunday finishes, I'm 
already thinking about next 

915
00:58:42,960 --> 00:58:45,120
Sunday. 
I am serious. 

916
00:58:45,120 --> 00:58:47,400
I'm already thinking, Lord, what
are you going to show me this 

917
00:58:47,400 --> 00:58:49,640
week? 
What are you going to show me 

918
00:58:49,640 --> 00:58:51,920
this week? 
I want to see it and He's 

919
00:58:51,920 --> 00:58:55,480
faithful to show it to me. 
If you think over what He says, 

920
00:58:55,480 --> 00:58:57,640
He promises to give you 
understanding in all things. 

921
00:58:57,640 --> 00:59:00,160
I can tell you after 12 years of
walking with Christ, He has 

922
00:59:00,160 --> 00:59:02,080
never failed me. 
Oh, but then there have been 

923
00:59:02,080 --> 00:59:04,400
times I've paced back and forth 
in my room wondering, Lord, what

924
00:59:04,400 --> 00:59:06,240
does this mean? 
I don't get it. 

925
00:59:06,760 --> 00:59:08,360
Or I look at somebody else and 
they have understand. 

926
00:59:08,360 --> 00:59:10,720
I think to myself, oh, how did 
they get there? 

927
00:59:11,360 --> 00:59:14,880
But He knows exactly what I am 
able to digest and what I need 

928
00:59:14,880 --> 00:59:17,240
and when I need it. 
And then I got to remember, this

929
00:59:17,240 --> 00:59:19,360
is not about me just gaining 
knowledge. 

930
00:59:19,840 --> 00:59:23,400
This is about me falling deeper 
and deeper in love with Christ. 

931
00:59:23,840 --> 00:59:26,040
That's what it's about. 
Don't miss it. 

932
00:59:26,040 --> 00:59:28,600
You know who missed it? 
The Church of Ephesus. 

933
00:59:28,920 --> 00:59:32,080
Oh, they had a lot of knowledge.
They knew what to do, but they 

934
00:59:32,080 --> 00:59:34,200
missed their first love. 
I better be careful. 

935
00:59:34,200 --> 00:59:35,640
I'm going to preach the next 
week's message. 

936
00:59:36,400 --> 00:59:42,400
Let's pray, shall we? 
How Many thanks can we give to 

937
00:59:42,400 --> 00:59:45,160
you, O Lord, for all the things 
that you've done for us? 

938
00:59:45,920 --> 00:59:48,680
But if there's one final thing 
we should say thank you for, 

939
00:59:48,680 --> 00:59:53,640
it's this church, Oh, Lord, to 
be in a group of people every 

940
00:59:53,640 --> 00:59:57,520
week who want the sermon to be 
longer, who want the service to 

941
00:59:57,520 --> 01:00:00,480
extend because they hunger and 
thirst for your truth. 

942
01:00:01,160 --> 01:00:03,840
Lord, we pray that that would 
never die, that would never 

943
01:00:03,840 --> 01:00:05,960
shrink, that it'll only excel 
more and more. 

944
01:00:06,640 --> 01:00:09,080
Lord, as we fellowship, please 
bless our food. 

945
01:00:09,080 --> 01:00:11,600
Bless this time. 
And would you be gracious, Lord,

946
01:00:11,600 --> 01:00:13,840
to even allow us to experience 
your presence there? 

947
01:00:14,720 --> 01:00:18,240
Bring us back together, Lord, 
and we ask, Lord, that if you 

948
01:00:18,240 --> 01:00:23,120
choose to come, we prefer that 
Maranatha Come, Lord Jesus, in 

949
01:00:23,160 --> 01:00:24,880
Jesus name we pray, Amen.