1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:04,680 I thought we were going to go right back into worship, right? 2 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:10,640 Which I don't mind. What a fitting song for our time 3 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:16,480 together in God's Word. You know, I'm convinced that the 4 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:21,440 tumultuous times that we are living in provides no shortage 5 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:25,640 of material for pulpits and churches to address and to try 6 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,120 to explain. But if a pastor is not careful, 7 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:36,160 he can easily get swept up by the events that are taking place 8 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:42,280 in the world and allows the recent headlines to determine 9 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,640 the subject matter of his weekly sermons. 10 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:50,560 You may be aware of some ministries who base their 11 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:57,240 messages exclusively on cultural commentary or reactionary 12 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:02,840 analysis, and they might have a tinge of biblical reference to 13 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,640 what they have to say just so it can be free from any criticism 14 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:12,400 and be deemed as a sermon. And I don't think that kind of 15 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:17,360 level of concentration on the news is helpful, especially in 16 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,880 the local church, since the primary duty of a minister is to 17 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:28,280 preach the whole council of God in season and out of season. 18 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,080 Now, Paul said that on purpose. He said that for a reason. 19 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:34,800 In season and out of season, when it's popular, when it's 20 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,560 not, when people are asking for or when they're not, you preach 21 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:42,040 the word of God, Timothy. That is what you are to be 22 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,240 preoccupied with. But there's that temptation, 23 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:48,000 right? Because everything that's 24 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,840 happening around us is so real. And that's why I would argue 25 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:53,840 that there are incidents that take place in our lifetime that 26 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:58,960 captivate our culture in a very unique way, in a way that almost 27 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:06,400 puts a halt, stops the world in its tracks and creates almost a 28 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,080 universal unrest or disorientation. 29 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:16,000 And in those moments, I believe it is wise and even responsible 30 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:23,000 for spiritual leaders to take local, regional, even global 31 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:30,280 crises and to shed light on the Word of God and to confirm to 32 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:36,400 the child of God that you and I have heavenly guidance from our 33 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:42,240 God even in the midst of chaos. And that is what I want to do 34 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:46,760 with this Sunday service, not only because of the harrowing 35 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,640 assassination attempt on the former president of the United 36 00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:55,440 States, but because of the events that unfolded, the 37 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:59,360 thoughts, the ideas, the discussions that followed that 38 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:05,440 historical day. You know, like the heightened 39 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:10,720 sense of vulnerability and concern for national and even 40 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:15,160 individual security. The growing distrust in our 41 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,080 government because of many reasons, including the 42 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:25,200 incompetence of leadership. The rumors that are flooding our 43 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:29,720 podcast and the predictions that secular profits are making 44 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,680 concerning where all of this is leading to and how we are racing 45 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,600 towards a world that we have never seen before. 46 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,640 And the cherry on top? Is just the plain uncertainty. 47 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:49,640 Of the future, I want to show you briefly how even the Lord 48 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:56,160 Jesus Christ is an example of leveraging current events to 49 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:59,400 drive spiritual truth into concerned hearers. 50 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,200 So we're not going in Mark today, if you haven't guessed 51 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:07,320 already, but I want to invite you to Luke chapter 13 briefly, 52 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:09,840 and we will be going to different texts in the Bible 53 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,840 this afternoon. But let's begin in Luke 13, 54 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:17,160 because I want to, to the best of my ability, always confirm 55 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,000 any point with what the Bible has to say. 56 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:32,210 Luke 13, one to five. There were some present at that 57 00:04:32,210 --> 00:04:36,250 very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood pilot had 58 00:04:36,250 --> 00:04:39,890 mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them. 59 00:04:39,890 --> 00:04:42,290 Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners 60 00:04:42,290 --> 00:04:44,930 than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this 61 00:04:44,930 --> 00:04:47,200 way? No, I tell you. 62 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,280 But unless you repent, you all likewise perish. 63 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,600 Or those 18 on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them. 64 00:04:55,840 --> 00:04:58,160 Do you think that they were worse offenders than all the 65 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,440 others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell. 66 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:06,400 You But unless you repent, you all likewise perish. 67 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:11,320 So here you have some Jews who were preoccupied with the 68 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:15,640 obvious news of that time. Of the cruel slaughtering of 69 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:19,520 some Galileans by the vicious hands of Pilate. 70 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,320 And they approached the Lord Jesus, this up and coming 71 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,560 popular preacher, teacher, prophet, miracle worker, 72 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:29,640 self-proclaimed Messiah, though true Messiah. 73 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:31,800 And they asked the Lord's opinion. 74 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:33,840 And you might be under the depression, like many other 75 00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:35,560 people who've asked Jesus questions, that they're trying 76 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,880 to trap him. Or it can simply be curiosity. 77 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:41,680 What do you have to say about the headlines? 78 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,600 Lord Jesus doesn't shoo it away, He doesn't dismiss it. 79 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:53,240 He He addresses it and He uses what was on people's minds to 80 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:57,920 remind them and to reinforce their mortality and that they 81 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,240 themselves have application with something that seems to be 82 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,400 distant. You too must repent before it is 83 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,360 too late. Not only that, I love how the 84 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,640 Lord brings up another headline like they didn't bring up the 85 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,600 issue of the tower of Siloam. He brought it up so he was a, he 86 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:13,440 was aware of current tragedies himself. 87 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:18,800 So let me bring up to you about those who died who are under 88 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:20,600 that tower and that tower collapse on them. 89 00:06:20,840 --> 00:06:24,080 Same application. You have to repent and get ready 90 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:25,600 because you don't know when your time will be. 91 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,640 And so Christ shows us here by way of example, I'm sure that 92 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,040 when there are times of unrest and uncertainty and disaster, 93 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,400 catastrophe. One of his. 94 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,880 Primary messages What? Repent. 95 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:46,880 Get ready to meet your God. You're not invincible, though we 96 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,160 all suffer with this invincibility complex. 97 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:51,600 You don't know when your day is coming. 98 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,320 Your days are numbered. So if you think that there are 99 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,200 worse sinners, that's not necessarily the case. 100 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:00,560 But make sure that you're ready with your sin and how Jesus 101 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,360 Christ will deal with it. He either forgive it or He'll 102 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:08,080 judge you for it. But the message of repentance is 103 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,680 not the only message that a faithful messenger of God will 104 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:15,800 proclaim in times of instability. 105 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:18,640 It is a primary one, but it's not the only one. 106 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:22,920 And sometimes we have this idea that the duty of a prophet is 107 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,960 exclusively about confronting and exposing the sin of others. 108 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,880 And though I believe that is an important description of a 109 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,320 messenger of God, it's not only that. 110 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:39,440 Yes, confront, yes, challenge, yes, through your word, seek 111 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:41,720 people's conviction. And I believe we need more of 112 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,160 that in this day than anything else. 113 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:47,160 Yet if you read the Bible carefully, you'll notice that 114 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,560 God has put another word in the mouth of the same prophets who 115 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,520 called the masses to turn from their sin and to surrender to 116 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,840 the lordship of God Almighty. I want to I want you to see it 117 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:01,720 with your own eyes and Isaiah chapter 40 and this is this is 118 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,160 what we are going to be focusing on today. 119 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:12,680 This is what prayerfully I want you to experience today and I 120 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:14,840 trust that the Lord will help us experience it. 121 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:20,160 Isaiah, a man who has given his woes to the people concerning 122 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:21,640 their iniquity and their rebellion. 123 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:27,160 But notice how the Lord instructs his prophet at this 124 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:33,720 point in verse one of Isaiah 40. Comfort, Comfort my people, says 125 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:39,799 your God, speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her. 126 00:08:39,799 --> 00:08:40,760 What? Repent. 127 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:47,480 Turn from your sin, you rebels. No, cry to her that her warfare 128 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:53,280 is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received 129 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,280 from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. 130 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:02,000 Comfort. Comfort my people, says your 131 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:05,160 God. Notice the double emphasis of 132 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,800 comfort. You know what that's indicating? 133 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:15,400 The urgent longing of God for His people to experience relief. 134 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:21,960 Comfort, comfort, comfort. He doesn't want to just say it 135 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,840 once. He wants to say it again because 136 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:28,000 he wants his people who might be slow to receive that comfort, to 137 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,000 actually be comforted once and for all. 138 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:35,560 And notice you're also that this comfort, this comfort that's 139 00:09:35,560 --> 00:09:39,080 able to. Be tangible is supernatural. 140 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,360 It's supernatural, it comes from God, and though it comes from 141 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:46,200 God, it's meant to be experienced by us. 142 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,240 It's meant to be tangible, it's meant to be real, it's meant to 143 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:54,440 be clutched on, it's meant to be something that actually changes 144 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,680 us. And so it comes from him. 145 00:09:56,680 --> 00:10:01,400 But it's it's not this thing that is distant and theoretical. 146 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:06,440 It, it really touches the heart. And the primary means by which 147 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:13,440 God's comfort is transferred and delivered and unfolded for His 148 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:17,440 people is through His Word. Notice he says, speak tenderly 149 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:22,120 to Jerusalem, speak tenderly and cry to her. 150 00:10:22,560 --> 00:10:25,800 Tell her these things. It's these things that are going 151 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:29,640 to bring her repose. It's these truths that are going 152 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:33,400 to give her solace. So speak now, Isaiah, these 153 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,760 words of comfort. Is there anything in this 154 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,240 context that would indicate why the Lord is saying this? 155 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,360 Well, you can look at the verses we read and part of it is that 156 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,680 comforter because her iniquity is pardoned. 157 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:49,640 If you want to know the foundation of God's comfort in 158 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:51,440 your life, it's going to be found when your sins are 159 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:55,120 forgiven. It's going to be in the place 160 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:59,000 where you realize that my record of debt has been dealt with. 161 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,760 It's been nailed on that cross, never to be visited again. 162 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:04,560 He'll never unnail it. He'll never remove it and shove 163 00:11:04,560 --> 00:11:06,400 it back in my face. It's finished. 164 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:11,560 Right there you should know a flood of rest for your soul. 165 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:13,160 But there's something beyond that. 166 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:14,640 There's something in the immediate context. 167 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,640 I suggest that there was a real life event that called for this 168 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:22,800 kind of comfort. Look back at Isaiah 39 and verse 169 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,920 six and seven, and we won't read it. 170 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:29,120 But that's just a reference for you to realize that Hezekiah was 171 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:33,880 told of the Babylonian invasion, that there was going to come a 172 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:39,200 foreign country to ransack the people of God and even remove 173 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:43,440 the royal seed and bring them into the palace of a Pagan 174 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,040 people. And that's how Isaiah 39 ends. 175 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,680 And then you transition to Isaiah 40 and God says, now 176 00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:54,520 comfort, Comfort my people. What are we to make of that? 177 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:55,560 Here's what you're to make of that. 178 00:11:55,560 --> 00:11:59,880 Proving that the will of God for His people is to know a strange 179 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:07,000 alien serenity and a deep seated security in the midst of 180 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,480 calamity, in the midst of calamity. 181 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:17,840 Comfort in chaos. Comfort when the world is 182 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:19,720 shaking, when your world is shaking. 183 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:23,920 And though our world today leaves us no shortage of 184 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,120 disturbing news, I want to tell you today that this this book 185 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:32,160 provides towering promises and abundant hope that casts 186 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:35,360 everything else into a shadow. And so I want you to draw 187 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:37,960 comfort today. I want you to leave here 188 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,040 lighter. I want you to leave here with a 189 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:42,640 peace that guards your mind and your hearts, your thoughts and 190 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:45,200 your emotions. I want that to be experienced 191 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,280 through the word of God. So let's stay in Isaiah a little 192 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:52,800 bit and drink out of this well of truth, some comfort. 193 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,120 Where shall we go? So many places to go. 194 00:12:57,240 --> 00:12:59,720 Let's go to a familiar passage, but revisit some truths that we 195 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,560 might have missed in Isaiah chapter 6 verse one, and notice 196 00:13:03,560 --> 00:13:06,560 what the prophet experienced in a time of great distress for his 197 00:13:06,560 --> 00:13:15,910 nation. Isaiah 6 verse one. 198 00:13:18,590 --> 00:13:23,430 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting 199 00:13:23,430 --> 00:13:28,030 upon a throne high and lifted up, and the train of his robe 200 00:13:28,070 --> 00:13:32,240 filled the temple. Uzziah was one of the most 201 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:36,480 prosperous, innovative, famed kings in Israel's history. 202 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,520 And the full account of his reign is found in Second 203 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:41,720 Chronicles 26. And there's so many things that 204 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:45,040 you read about his success and the economy that he established 205 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,240 and the influence that he had on neighboring people groups. 206 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:50,520 But what's interesting about that part in Chronicles is that 207 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,640 you discover Isaiah the prophet was a contemporary to Uziah. 208 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,760 He was a prophet. He was a ministry. 209 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:01,480 He was in ministry during the time of this man's reign, and 210 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:04,040 prophets worked very closely with kings. 211 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,440 They had some level of relationship, and if the king 212 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,160 was righteous, then it was on good terms. 213 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:10,680 If they were not, then all they had was a knock on the door of 214 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:16,240 rebuke and warning. And Isaiah was one who 215 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:20,360 witnessed. He with his own eyes lived under 216 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,640 an administration that brought so much peace and prosperity and 217 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,960 power. He himself benefited from it, 218 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,440 but he also witnessed the tragedy of Uzziah's life. 219 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,080 Uzziah became proud, like many people do when they are 220 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:35,960 successful, even spiritually successful. 221 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:40,080 And God struck Uzziah with leprosy, and he was an outcast 222 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:46,840 until the day that he died. And we read here in Isaiah 6 one 223 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:52,600 that in that same year that Uzziah died, Isaiah's eyes were 224 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:57,760 open to a vision to bring comfort to him and threw him to 225 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:01,640 the people as a whole. The vision is plain and obvious. 226 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,800 He realizes something about God, the sovereignty of God, the 227 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:09,840 throne of God, the authority of God, the stability of God. 228 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,240 And I just find it absolutely amazing how more than one 229 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:15,960 account the. Scriptures record how the Lord 230 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,920 manifest himself in unusual moments in our lives. 231 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:24,000 Unusual moments especially in moments of suffering and pain. 232 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:28,080 I think of Job. Though a righteous man and who 233 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:31,680 feared God, think about the emotional distress, the physical 234 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:35,280 burden, the psychological and even the spiritual struggle. 235 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,120 And yet at the end of that account in Job, what do you 236 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:40,560 read? Oh, my eyes have seen you. 237 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:42,920 I've heard of you with my ears. But now my eyes have seen you. 238 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:45,640 I have. I have a new revelation of you 239 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:48,240 that can only have been known in this kind of thing. 240 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,600 I think of Stephen when he was ready to be stoned by his 241 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,520 enemies. You can think about the fear of 242 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:59,520 that moment, a man who had so much promise future, a man who 243 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:01,960 was a blessing to the church. The church just started and this 244 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:04,920 guy is ready to go. And what does he see? 245 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:07,640 He sees heaven open and he sees Christ, not sitting at the right 246 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:11,600 hand of God, but standing. He had a revelation of Christ. 247 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,080 What right at the threshold of pain, death. 248 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:22,600 What do you see here? You see, Isaiah, surely a man as 249 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:24,720 you're going to discover a man who was susceptible to being 250 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:30,040 fearful himself being overcome by a manifestation of the person 251 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:32,640 of Jesus Christ. According to John that would 252 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,960 change him that would instill a concrete confidence for his 253 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:38,640 call. Yes, personally, but something 254 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:41,840 about who God is despite his call. 255 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,040 And I want to tell you that these revelations may not be 256 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:48,720 immediate. I want to, I want to tell you if 257 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,320 look everything else in the world, it's in the world. 258 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,240 And as much as it might be affecting us. 259 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,520 As much as it's bombarding our phones and it's the subject 260 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,800 matter of our dinner conversations and our text 261 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:02,480 messages to people here and beyond, you have your own 262 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:04,319 things. There's private wars that each 263 00:17:04,319 --> 00:17:08,200 of us are battling. But take this truth that when, 264 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:12,440 when God takes our suffering, he takes it as a platform for him 265 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:16,280 to step on and to show himself. But it may not be immediate. 266 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,400 It may not be even during. It may be after the fact. 267 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:23,920 Read again carefully. It doesn't say in the day Uzziah 268 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,200 died. It was in the year. 269 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:31,320 So what do you? Do when the lights have been 270 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:33,280 turned off and you don't understand what's going on and 271 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:37,680 you know how to read the writing on the wall, you stay put, you 272 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,960 wait, you worship while you wait, and you trust that the 273 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,600 Lord will show himself at the right time. 274 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,680 And you take that as an opportunity to bless him when it 275 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:50,160 doesn't make sense to bless him and to serve him when you have 276 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:51,880 little strength to do anything else. 277 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:58,080 So Isaiah, he is here in the year that King Uzziah died, and 278 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:00,840 God reveals himself to him in a very special way. 279 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:03,320 And then there's one. Thing, I mean, we, we've 280 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:06,200 preached on Isaiah 6 before. I believe it was last year's 281 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:07,800 Maranatha. We spent a whole session on it 282 00:18:08,120 --> 00:18:10,520 at the conference. But I want to draw your 283 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:12,400 attention to just the 1st 3 verses. 284 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,360 Look at verse 2 and keep in mind that this was in the year that 285 00:18:15,360 --> 00:18:19,000 King Uzziah died. Above him stood the Seraphim. 286 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:22,360 Each had six wings. With two he covered his face, 287 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:26,400 and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 288 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,520 That's so significant, I don't have time to touch on that, but 289 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:33,880 verse three and one call to another and said holy, holy, 290 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:37,480 holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his 291 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:41,240 glory. So these heavenly creatures, 292 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:45,520 these beings who are caught up in the atmosphere of holiness 293 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:50,000 and brilliance of God, they're saying something to one another. 294 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:54,120 By the way, this is generally misunderstood as them saying 295 00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:55,920 something to God. They're not saying it directly 296 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:57,440 to God, they're saying it to one another. 297 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:03,280 And notice what they said. Thrice Holy is God, holy, holy, 298 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,480 Holy is the Lord of hosts. And notice what they didn't say. 299 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:13,000 The whole earth was full of His glory, Or the whole earth will 300 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,480 be full of his glory. Does it say that? 301 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:19,840 No, it's present tense. The whole earth is full of his 302 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:23,240 glory. Wait, is yes, in the same year 303 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:28,600 that King Uzziah died? What did these seraphim see? 304 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:32,840 Glory. That's what they saw permeating 305 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,800 the earth. What did Isaiah and the average 306 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,160 Israelites see? I'm not sure, but in times of 307 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:47,120 transition, unpredictability, uncertainty, it's difficult to 308 00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:52,440 perceive glory. But these seraphim saw it to the 309 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:56,120 degree that it caused them, yes, to not just converse about it, 310 00:19:56,120 --> 00:19:58,760 but in adoration, praise about it. 311 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:02,920 The whole earth is filled with this glory. 312 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,840 What are you seeing, Seraphim, and how are you seeing it? 313 00:20:07,120 --> 00:20:10,040 Can I suggest one simple thing? Their vantage point. 314 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:16,080 Their perspective, they're seeing the globe from the throne 315 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:22,360 room of the Lord of host, and God in this vision is inviting 316 00:20:22,360 --> 00:20:27,240 Isaiah up. See it from here, Isaiah. 317 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:33,040 Filter it from here. Isaiah, you know, Ephesians 318 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:36,880 tells us that you and I, this is a very mysterious statement. 319 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:42,160 It's very deep, but it's also simple that we are seated and 320 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:46,040 we're heavenly places. What is that speaking about You 321 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:52,000 positionally, your salvation is as secure as that you have a 322 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:56,200 seat in heavenly places. That's the main part of that 323 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:57,640 text. That's what that is trying to 324 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:00,720 convey. But there's also command that 325 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,960 practically you and I are to set our minds on things above 326 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:06,920 Colossians 3. So you're seated there 327 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:08,560 positionally. But let's be practical. 328 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:11,200 Let's view everything from the perspective of where we're 329 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:18,360 supposed to be seated. Heaven, eternity, God's might, 330 00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:21,920 his power. The whole earth is filled with 331 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,200 his glory. What does Psalm 19 tell us about 332 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,560 the glory of God? That it's in the heavens. 333 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:28,720 It's in the skies above, is it not? 334 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:32,320 It's in creation. Do you wonder why I think the 335 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:35,760 thought is dying out now, but do you wonder why for a good period 336 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,880 of time in in our lifetime, there was such a push for 337 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:43,280 evolution and the notion that all this came from nothing, that 338 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,320 we're just an accident, that this is a miracle, but without a 339 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:48,960 God, Why do you think that's being pushed? 340 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:50,920 Do you think that's because science thought about it? 341 00:21:51,120 --> 00:21:54,040 No, it's because it's an attempt to rob God of his glory. 342 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,280 You're supposed to look out and perceive everything and give God 343 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,240 glory, and Satan wants to even take that from God. 344 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,760 This isn't about science and philosophy and psychology and 345 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,920 Darwin. There's something spiritual 346 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,280 behind this stuff. And so we see here that the 347 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:17,760 Seraphim are looking at the world, and though kingdoms as we 348 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:21,560 sang are rising and kingdoms are falling, they're just caught up 349 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:22,200 in the. Glory. 350 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:30,560 You cannot afford to interpret your personal life, your home 351 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:35,080 life, your neighborhood life, your city, this nation, apart 352 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:36,680 from the filter of God's sovereignty. 353 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:42,560 You can't afford to do that. The Seraphim could look down and 354 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:44,320 worship while the majority worry. 355 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:50,400 And the only way that you can switch from panic to praise is 356 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:56,120 if you constantly consider, constantly include in every 357 00:22:56,120 --> 00:23:02,080 micro and macro event, that there is a God who is lofty, 358 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:07,600 high, strong, unshaken, sovereign. 359 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:15,400 Climb there every morning before you check Fox, before you peep 360 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:19,800 into CNN. Climb there and stay there. 361 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,000 And allow God's glory to interpret everything for you. 362 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:30,960 I wonder how many today, since last week, and in the weeks to 363 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:37,760 come have been caught up with God's glory in your 364 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,000 conversations, it's OK to talk about this stuff that's 365 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:43,040 happening, but in your conversations, does does the 366 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:46,280 Lord and His power and might does He show up in that 367 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:50,760 conversation? Or is it simply just discussing 368 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:53,280 the recent podcasts and then sighing about how wicked this 369 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:55,920 world is and then going back to your room with shrugged 370 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:58,240 shoulders wondering if tomorrow is going to be worse than it was 371 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:02,840 today? This is not the only time Israel 372 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:07,080 experienced national distress. Go to Isaiah chapter 8 to 373 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,800 examine another episode of fear that apprehended the same people 374 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:11,920 group. And I want you to know that the 375 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:15,520 timing of this passage was during the reign of King Ahaz. 376 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:19,280 Ahaz. This is the grandson of Uzziah 377 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,600 and Ahaz, king of Judah was enduring his own news, the news 378 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:30,960 of. A coalition between Syria and 379 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:32,600 Israel. Remember, he represents the 380 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:34,120 Kingdom of Judah, the southern Kingdom. 381 00:24:34,360 --> 00:24:38,920 And now news is out that Syria and Israel are encroaching upon 382 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:43,000 Jerusalem. And on top of that, there is now 383 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:48,040 talks of Assyria, a rising empire of that time, coming in 384 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:52,440 and just taking over everything. And so on more than one 385 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,000 occasion, the prophet Isaiah, who just finished having this 386 00:24:55,000 --> 00:25:00,680 experience with Almighty God in Isaiah 6, comes to Isaiah 7 and 387 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,400 we're told in Isaiah. Seven, that the hearts of the 388 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:07,360 people, including the king. King Ahaz, we're shaking as 389 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:13,160 trees shake in the wind. He gives a prophecy after 390 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,560 prophecy. And finally, the Lord speaks to 391 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:19,280 Isaiah, not to speak to the people yet, but to speak to Him 392 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:21,800 directly as His Servant. And I want you to see this in 393 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:25,040 Isaiah 811. This is what the Lord says to 394 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:31,600 Isaiah individually. For the Lord spoke thus to me 395 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:39,720 with His strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the 396 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:41,560 way of this people. Pause. 397 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:43,560 What do you think the way of this people is? 398 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:46,440 So you see. Again, the urgency of the Lord 399 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:49,160 speaking to his servant. He's saying I'm putting my hand 400 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,680 on you and I am warning you not to walk in the way of this 401 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:55,240 people. What debauchery, Sexual 402 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:58,800 morality, Orgies. Drunkenness. 403 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:02,200 Worshipping. Molech No, verse 12. 404 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:06,160 Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, 405 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,880 and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 406 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:19,840 Wow, Isaiah, you're my servant. You're supposed to think 407 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:23,120 different, feel different, function differently. 408 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,240 And what he's trying to say in summation is, I don't want you 409 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:32,560 to be preoccupied with the anxious feeling and discussions 410 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:36,080 that everybody else in your nation is wrapped up in. 411 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:40,680 What does that tell us? That even a man of God like 412 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:49,240 Isaiah can be sucked into the frenzy of a country or people 413 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:54,600 group or family that doesn't have concrete confidence in 414 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:57,920 their God. Don't get swept up in that. 415 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:02,640 And that's true of him. How much is it possible for us? 416 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:04,520 Therefore, you and I, like Isaiah, have to make a 417 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:08,280 conscience effort to not allow what overtakes the culture to 418 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:12,280 overtake you. Is it wrong to discuss these 419 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:12,920 things? No. 420 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,600 Is it wrong to investigate these things? 421 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,000 No. But if it paralyzes you and it 422 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:23,360 pulls you away from your primary duty as a Christian in the 423 00:27:23,360 --> 00:27:25,400 Church of Jesus Christ, you've gone too far. 424 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:31,120 You've gone too far. But how? 425 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:39,360 How can you and I rise above the agitation and the alarm that's 426 00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:42,360 surrounding us? You know, I tried to take care 427 00:27:42,360 --> 00:27:43,960 of this body. So I go to the gym once in a 428 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,480 while and I usually bring headphones and just list my time 429 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:49,760 to listen to teachings. And this time a few days ago, I 430 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:50,880 thought, I'm not going to bring my headphones. 431 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:52,800 I'll just go in for a quick session. 432 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:56,280 So usually my ears are busy. My, my ears were not busy. 433 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:58,560 They're exposed to the elements. And here I am trying to do my 434 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:01,680 thing and. Secret services of the Democrats 435 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:04,440 are traumatic. Conservatives are the. 436 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:11,400 I wish I brought my headphones. And I get it naturally. 437 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,320 We we endured a historical thing. 438 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,200 I get it. But you can sense something in 439 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,240 the voice, you can sense something in the panic. 440 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:20,920 You can feel it. It's tangible. 441 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:24,360 Let it be for the world, not for the church. 442 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:30,840 So what's the secret? How is it that in these 443 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:35,000 inescapable things that pop up on your device when you choose 444 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:39,560 to go to the gym without your headphones, how can your heart 445 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:43,000 be bulletproof? How can you be? 446 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:47,960 How can you still have a song in your mouth and light on your 447 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:49,800 face? How he tells Isaiah, look at 448 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:53,880 verse 13. But the Lord of hosts him shall 449 00:28:54,400 --> 00:29:00,360 you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear and let him 450 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:05,400 be your dread. Can I, can I summarize what the 451 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:07,040 fear of God is? It's very simple. 452 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:09,000 We don't have time to explore it together. 453 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:11,600 The fear of God is synonymous with being in awe of God. 454 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:18,120 You know what he's telling Isaiah, teaching you and I this 455 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:22,400 profound truth that the increasing presence of fear in 456 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:27,840 US is a symptom of my diminishing awe of God. 457 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:36,120 When fear rises up and is more present and prominent in this 458 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:39,480 heart of mine, that's an indication that what's becoming 459 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:44,280 less and less true in that same heart is my understanding of how 460 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:49,200 awesome God is. And so on the other side of the 461 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:53,600 coin, he says, if I if you're going to escape this pattern of 462 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:56,960 debilitating thoughts, then you must listen. 463 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:00,560 You must, you must, you must make less time for mainstream 464 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:04,760 media, your favorite podcast, and the recent article with the 465 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:09,960 newest findings or statistics, and stick your nose in the Bible 466 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:12,960 until your soul is stunned by God. 467 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:20,280 If you're able to take in everything that's happening and 468 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:23,440 your faith is stronger than ever, then keep going, brother. 469 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:30,200 I guess keep going, my sister. But if you're losing strength, 470 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:37,960 If your worship is diluting. If things concerning your 471 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:40,480 understanding of your purpose as a Christian, part of the Church 472 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:47,280 of Jesus Christ getting lost and foggy, then revisit the throne 473 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,720 room of God. Come to his word and stare it 474 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:55,720 stare at it long enough until you escape the web that most 475 00:30:55,720 --> 00:31:00,920 people are caught in. I want to provide you just an 476 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:06,840 example of how that works. We're we're still in Isaiah the 477 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:15,200 good Isaiah 45 for a moment. Please, Lord tells Isaiah, 478 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:19,800 replace your fear of invading army's failing economy, inept 479 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:22,040 leaders. With a fear of me. 480 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:25,600 And if you fear me, you're not going to fear anything else. 481 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:32,360 What's the instruction here? You have to make an effort to 482 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:37,160 not feed this. Unholy fear and instead spend 483 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:39,720 the energy and feed the holy fear. 484 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:45,000 Look at Isaiah 45 verse one. Thus says the Lord to his 485 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:50,000 anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue 486 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:54,040 nations before him, and to loose the belts of kings, to open 487 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:58,120 doors before him, that gates may not be closed so. 488 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:00,920 We come to this prophecy, and it's a very interesting 489 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:03,080 prophecy. Again, why are we going to 490 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:05,200 Isaiah 45? Just to give you a little sample 491 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:10,720 of how your heart can be apprehended by the right kind of 492 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,520 fear. He tells him for the sake of my 493 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:16,120 servant Jacob. Later, as we're about to 494 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:18,120 discover, but initially in verse one. 495 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:21,160 Thus says the Lord to his anointed to his anointed. 496 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:24,720 The language of somebody being anointed was exclusively 497 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:27,440 reserved for priests and kings within. 498 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:30,000 The confines of Israel, the covenant that God had with him. 499 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:32,320 But here you have this man named Cyrus. 500 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:35,920 Cyrus, as we're about to discover, is a Gentile. 501 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:39,480 He's a Gentile king. And yet the Lord says he's my 502 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:42,680 anointed. I've set him apart for 503 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:44,680 something. I've called him to something. 504 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:51,080 And this prophecy is directed to Cyrus, and he's allowing Isaiah 505 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:54,720 and the nation of Israel to overhear this proclamation. 506 00:32:56,160 --> 00:33:00,880 To overhear for what reason? Well, not just so that we would 507 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:04,400 realize that God knows the future, because Cyrus, though 508 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:06,960 this is directed to him, hasn't come into existence yet. 509 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:10,880 This is one of the most profound passages in all of the Bible. 510 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:14,160 Cyrus would come into existence. He would be born in this world 511 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:16,680 180. Years to 220 years after this 512 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:19,520 prophecy was declared. So you have gone through the 513 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:22,560 Prophet calling out a politician who's going to rule the known 514 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:27,080 world by name decades upon decades before it's even 515 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:30,840 realized. And the Lord calls Isaiah and 516 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:32,920 even his people to check this out. 517 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:34,880 I'm going to call somebody by name. 518 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:36,480 You know, you have people wringing their hands. 519 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:39,080 Who's going to win the election? Why are you scared about that? 520 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:41,720 God knows, should he, Terry, who's going to be the 65th 521 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:48,240 president of the United States? I'm calling you Cyrus by name, 522 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:52,360 and I'm going to equip you and I'm going to raise you. 523 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:55,640 To do what? To be above the nations. 524 00:33:57,120 --> 00:33:59,880 And that's proven to be true. History testifies of this 525 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:02,480 prophecy coming to pass because Cyrus didn't invade the 526 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:05,000 Babylonian Empire and he did conquer it. 527 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:07,440 But is that? All the Lord is trying to do, is 528 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:09,760 He just trying to flex his omniscience? 529 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:12,800 No, He's showing what the ultimate purpose is. 530 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:15,000 When you Scroll down to verse four, look at verse 4. 531 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:23,520 For the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel my Chosen. 532 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:27,560 I call you by your name. He's still speaking to Cyrus. 533 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:29,520 And about Cyrus, I call you by your name. 534 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:32,520 I name you, though you do not know me. 535 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:36,360 I am the Lord, and there is no other besides me. 536 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:39,400 There is no God. I equip you, though you do not 537 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:43,080 know me. Do you understand the 538 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:46,400 implications of this? Not only do you have a Gentile, 539 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:49,000 not only do you have a gentile who's going to be a king, who's 540 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:53,120 not even real yet, you have the Lord. 541 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:58,800 Showcasing his sovereignty, the extent of it, that God can even 542 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:02,520 use a Gentile king who doesn't have a true living relationship 543 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:04,240 with him. For what? 544 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:07,480 For his purposes, and in this case it was for the sake of his 545 00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:11,640 people, Jacob. So I'm going to shift the 546 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:15,200 nation's I'm going to fire and hire. 547 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:20,600 I'm going to see defeat and conquest for this sole central 548 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:25,400 reason for my people, because my people at that time are going to 549 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,320 be in exile in Babylon. And I'm going to allow Cyrus to 550 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:32,160 come in, Cyrus to conquer and at the right time, Cyrus to release 551 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:35,760 my people from Babylon back into Israel, the promised land. 552 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:41,560 And we're being told this hundreds of years before it 553 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:45,400 happened. And the bigger picture of this 554 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:47,000 whole thing is this. You ready? 555 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:52,880 You know what this tells us? History Centers on the glory of 556 00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:57,680 God and the people of God. History. 557 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:03,080 History centers on the glory of God and the people that you 558 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:05,080 think that just because these people don't believe in God, 559 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:09,480 that God's playbook isn't at work. 560 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:12,640 You think that just because everybody's caught up with the 561 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:16,120 things of this life and they put their hope and whoever's in the 562 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:19,280 White House that that God is not orchestrating everything. 563 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:24,320 For His glory and for His people to be positioned exactly where 564 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:27,200 they need to be so that they can thrive and bring forth fruit. 565 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:33,200 Read your Bible, read your Bible and realize that history 566 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:34,800 centers. And I can't say it any better 567 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:37,560 than another preacher who commented on this passage. 568 00:36:38,120 --> 00:36:40,240 The Lord raises up and he brings down. 569 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:46,120 Behind all the drama of human events today, there is a God who 570 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:49,840 is planning for His church through affliction and 571 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:54,680 persecution and chastising and tribulation, to be perfected and 572 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:57,680 prepared to inherit the Kingdom of God. 573 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:01,640 This isn't disconnected to the church. 574 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:05,920 What we're seeing, what's happening, it's all orbiting 575 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:10,440 about this one thing that the One who created all things has 576 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:13,240 something to accomplish. And everything is not falling 577 00:37:13,240 --> 00:37:15,280 apart. It's falling exactly into. 578 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:19,320 Place exactly into place every detail. 579 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:26,680 I may not know what the next few months will bring, but I am sure 580 00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:30,200 of one thing that whatever does happen, the church will be 581 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:32,000 exactly where she needs to be. The true church. 582 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:34,280 Exactly. And if I'm part of the church, 583 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:35,640 that includes me and that includes you. 584 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,440 On a side note, notice how verse one, I told you earlier that he 585 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:48,040 he's saying it to Cyrus. Why would you say it to Cyrus? 586 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:52,040 Cyrus hasn't even been born yet, unless of course, Cyrus would 587 00:37:52,040 --> 00:37:54,440 know about it one day. And I just want to show you 588 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:56,640 again, just to show you how amazing this book is. 589 00:37:57,120 --> 00:37:59,440 Do you know that Cyrus actually got this message eventually? 590 00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:04,720 He actually received this word he's saying where you have to 591 00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:07,600 make an effort to flip those pages to Ezra chapter one. 592 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:10,120 I want you to see it with your own eyes. 593 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:16,880 Ezra 1123. This is when Cyrus the king of 594 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:26,400 Persia defeated the Babylonians. And notice what it says here in 595 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:28,920 the opening of the book of Ezra chapter one, verse one. 596 00:38:30,240 --> 00:38:35,840 I'll wait for those pages to stop moving in the first year of 597 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:39,480 Cyrus, king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of 598 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:42,440 Jeremiah might be fulfilled. So not only do you have Isaiah's 599 00:38:42,440 --> 00:38:45,680 testimony, you have Jeremiah, who also prophesied the exact 600 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:48,360 amount of time that Israel would be in exile before they return 601 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:52,880 to Jerusalem. The Lord stirred up the spirit 602 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:56,160 of Cyrus, king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation 603 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:58,680 throughout all his Kingdom and also put it in writing. 604 00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:03,440 Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia, The Lord, the God of heaven, has 605 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:06,800 given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to 606 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:09,400 build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 607 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:13,120 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, 608 00:39:13,240 --> 00:39:15,800 and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild 609 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:17,560 the House of the Lord, the God of Israel. 610 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:19,640 He is the God who is in Jerusalem. 611 00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:23,680 Now, that might not move you because you think that you're 612 00:39:23,680 --> 00:39:26,120 just dealing with one book. You went from Isaiah, which is 613 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:28,560 one chapter in this big book, and you went now to this chapter 614 00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:30,960 called Ezra. It's not one big book. 615 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:33,960 This is a library of books. There's a great span of time 616 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:38,400 between Isaiah and Ezra. Do you realize that what Isaiah 617 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:42,120 says here in chapter 45 was fulfilled and Ezra recorded it? 618 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:44,840 And here's my question. How did Cyra, king of Persia, 619 00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:47,880 get access to this word? How did it come to him? 620 00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:51,200 And it's all speculation. It's all speculation. 621 00:39:51,200 --> 00:39:52,840 Can I give you my favorite speculation? 622 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:56,640 There was somebody in the Kingdom of Babylon who was also 623 00:39:56,640 --> 00:39:58,880 during their there during the administration of Cyrus. 624 00:39:58,880 --> 00:40:01,160 Do you know his name? Daniel. 625 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:05,160 Could it be that Daniel showed him this prophecy? 626 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:10,600 Could it be you're saying I don't know, OK, just could it 627 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:11,880 be? I'm not saying it's dogmatic. 628 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:13,880 You don't need to believe it to become a member here or 629 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:19,320 anything. The same Daniel who very likely 630 00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:26,560 influenced the magicians and the magi that brought the magi from 631 00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:30,440 the east to come and see the son of David who would be born in 632 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:31,720 Jerusalem. Where did they come from? 633 00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:34,000 Why they? Why did? 634 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:38,480 These magi from the east come to Jerusalem well trace it in 635 00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:40,520 biblical history. I think one possible reason is 636 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:44,440 because of the presence and the influence of the prophet Daniel. 637 00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:49,360 Could it be that even here with Cyrus, Daniel was there? 638 00:40:49,720 --> 00:40:52,040 You read Daniel Chapter 9 and Daniel start praying when you 639 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:54,760 realize that the 70 years was coming up, that Jeremiah, this 640 00:40:54,760 --> 00:40:57,520 guy was in tune with the word of God and he was not ashamed to 641 00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:00,680 share it. He was not ashamed to share it. 642 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:04,280 I'd like to think that. I'd like to think that Daniel 643 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:06,480 told Cyrus, Do you know that your name was brought up by one 644 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:09,440 of our prophets? Really. 645 00:41:09,440 --> 00:41:13,040 When, oh, I don't know, like 180 years ago? 646 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:17,000 No way. Yes, let me show you. 647 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:19,760 Let me tell you about it. Something was inspired. 648 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:21,920 And Cyrus, the Lord stirred his spirit. 649 00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:25,200 And he says, if you want to go back home, you can go back home. 650 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:32,320 What are you afraid of? If this is our God, what are 651 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:33,880 you? Nothing to be afraid of 652 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:35,800 anything. I'm afraid of him. 653 00:41:37,720 --> 00:41:40,880 I'm afraid of him. He knows what's going to happen. 654 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:44,280 He knows how long this empire called the United States will 655 00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:45,280 will last. He knows. 656 00:41:45,440 --> 00:41:48,080 He knows the exact day if it will last or if it will not. 657 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:50,880 He knows the exact moment. He knows every detail that will 658 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:53,760 lead up to its fall or, by His mercy, to its revival. 659 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:56,000 He knows, he knows. And guess what? 660 00:41:56,360 --> 00:42:01,840 I hold his hand and so do you. He has a big hand and he's 661 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:04,160 leading me day by day. And sometimes, like a little 662 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:05,680 child, I asked where are we going? 663 00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:09,760 And like a good dad does, he doesn't explain it all the time. 664 00:42:12,240 --> 00:42:15,200 It's my God. OK, So what happens next week? 665 00:42:15,640 --> 00:42:17,080 You're surprised, we're shocked, sure. 666 00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:20,640 We're human, we're limited by time and space and Isaiah 6, the 667 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:23,520 Lord is there, Thrones are falling apart, and there's one 668 00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:30,400 throne that is stable, unmoved, unshaken, and we're invited to 669 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:34,160 be there. Now, I know some of your 670 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:37,360 analytical and your critical thinkers, and I appreciate that. 671 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:40,000 So you're thinking, brother, that thank you for that sermon, 672 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:41,920 that was very encouraging. But I noticed that you stayed 673 00:42:41,920 --> 00:42:46,840 within the bounds of the Old Testament where God primarily 674 00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:50,920 dealt with a people group that was a theocracy. 675 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:57,760 And so obviously, in order to be faithful to them, their borders, 676 00:42:57,760 --> 00:43:01,000 their land, was a part of their covenant, he would have to get 677 00:43:01,000 --> 00:43:05,280 involved with governments and armies and kings and kingdoms. 678 00:43:05,880 --> 00:43:07,760 But we're in the new covenant, we're the church, We don't we 679 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:11,880 don't have a country. How does this relate to us? 680 00:43:12,640 --> 00:43:16,240 Besides, is God even that involved to the same degree that 681 00:43:16,240 --> 00:43:20,240 he was when he was electing one people group and working through 682 00:43:20,240 --> 00:43:22,160 them to showcase of the world his glory? 683 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:26,400 Can we take these observations that you've made, brother, and 684 00:43:26,400 --> 00:43:29,800 and apply them to us as a people, group of many tribes and 685 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:31,920 tugs sprinkled across this world? 686 00:43:31,920 --> 00:43:34,800 How does this help me? And I'm here to tell you that 687 00:43:34,800 --> 00:43:40,160 the same God who supervises everything up to the time of 688 00:43:40,160 --> 00:43:43,920 Cyrus, the same one who was there when Uzziah came off the 689 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:47,000 throne, and the same one who called Cyrus to take up a 690 00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:51,400 throne, is the same one who's involved with every throne, 691 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:53,840 every church, every pulpit, every home. 692 00:43:55,400 --> 00:43:57,520 Let me remind you the words of Jesus when He stood before 693 00:43:57,520 --> 00:44:02,960 another governor by the name of Pilate and he was on trial and 694 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:07,640 Jesus fulfilling His role as a lamb remains silent. 695 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:13,040 So Pilate in John 19 verse 10 said to him, You will not speak 696 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:16,080 to me. Do you not know that I have 697 00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:18,680 authority to release you and authority to crucify you? 698 00:44:20,960 --> 00:44:24,400 What does Jesus say in verse 11? Jesus answered them, You would 699 00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:28,600 have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you 700 00:44:28,680 --> 00:44:33,760 from above. Therefore, he who delivered me 701 00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:37,400 over to you has the greater sin. This is Jesus Christ, the 702 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:43,160 Mediator of a new covenant, and He even in this reminds Pilate 703 00:44:43,160 --> 00:44:48,840 and even us that every position of power, the proportion of 704 00:44:48,840 --> 00:44:51,240 authority that they carry with those positions has been 705 00:44:51,240 --> 00:44:55,640 determined by heaven. Pilate would not have an inch of 706 00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:59,280 that authority had it not been signed off by God Almighty. 707 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:01,320 Do you think it's any different today? 708 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:05,160 What about, what about the church? 709 00:45:05,160 --> 00:45:07,160 I mean, this is the Lord right before his death, His 710 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:11,080 resurrection, his ascension. What comfort can we take that 711 00:45:11,080 --> 00:45:14,240 that God's eye is on His people and that He is still allowing 712 00:45:14,440 --> 00:45:17,200 what is taking place in history to center? 713 00:45:18,320 --> 00:45:21,160 To center on the glory of God and the people of God. 714 00:45:21,160 --> 00:45:24,720 There's so many examples, so many, you know what came to 715 00:45:24,720 --> 00:45:26,360 mind? Just this little one, one that 716 00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:28,440 we don't tend to think about when we think about the book of 717 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:30,600 Acts. It's a peripheral idea, but it's 718 00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:35,000 so jam packed with awesome comfort when you think about God 719 00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:37,640 and His church and worldwide events. 720 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:40,920 OK, this is our last text. It's in Acts 11. 721 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:46,560 Turn there in verse 28, actually verse 27. 722 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:04,720 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, 723 00:46:05,960 --> 00:46:09,440 and one of the name Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit 724 00:46:09,440 --> 00:46:13,560 that there would be a great famine over all the world. 725 00:46:13,560 --> 00:46:15,840 This took place in the days of Claudius. 726 00:46:15,840 --> 00:46:21,240 Isn't that amazing? So you have these prophets from 727 00:46:21,240 --> 00:46:23,760 Jerusalem and I know that this text can be a matter of debate 728 00:46:23,760 --> 00:46:26,760 about how this works, the office of a prophet and new covenant, 729 00:46:26,760 --> 00:46:28,680 the gift of prophecy. Can the Spirit of God speaking 730 00:46:28,680 --> 00:46:30,160 this way through his people to his people. 731 00:46:30,280 --> 00:46:33,120 Let's put that aside for now and take the comforting truth out of 732 00:46:33,120 --> 00:46:34,880 it. Here you have these prophets out 733 00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:37,040 of Jerusalem coming to the church in Antioch. 734 00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:41,080 And one of these prophets named Agabus foretells by the Spirit, 735 00:46:41,480 --> 00:46:44,160 this is a real prophet, not those kind of like YouTube 736 00:46:44,160 --> 00:46:47,720 prophets that predict things and just say anything and and it's 737 00:46:47,720 --> 00:46:49,680 wrong and people still support them afterwards. 738 00:46:49,680 --> 00:46:53,560 I don't understand a real prophet, a real prophet. 739 00:46:55,160 --> 00:46:59,480 And he says there is going to be a famine that's going to hit not 740 00:46:59,480 --> 00:47:03,600 just this area, the whole world. And it was right. 741 00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:07,480 So put the debate aside. Put the debate aside. 742 00:47:07,480 --> 00:47:11,560 OK, here's what I take out of it as a as a point, as a lesson. 743 00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:15,600 If God wants to supernaturally reveal something to his church, 744 00:47:15,720 --> 00:47:18,600 he's able. If God wants to prepare his 745 00:47:18,600 --> 00:47:22,200 church in this way, he can. But even if he doesn't do it in 746 00:47:22,200 --> 00:47:25,760 such a direct manifest way. He's always doing it. 747 00:47:26,240 --> 00:47:27,960 He's. Always providentially 748 00:47:27,960 --> 00:47:32,200 positioning and preparing his people primarily his word is 749 00:47:32,200 --> 00:47:34,760 there, but even his spirit is with us. 750 00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:40,080 The Holy Spirit of God is with us and he as in this I see that 751 00:47:40,080 --> 00:47:42,560 though the world is going to experience something he's 752 00:47:42,560 --> 00:47:47,720 telling his church, His heart is still for his people. 753 00:47:48,560 --> 00:47:51,080 OK, we're not in we're not a nation and one people group. 754 00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:54,520 That's the beauty of the gospel. But as one new race now as the 755 00:47:54,520 --> 00:47:57,720 church, don't you see here by way of example, don't you take 756 00:47:57,720 --> 00:48:02,360 comfort in knowing that God still supervises us and He's not 757 00:48:02,360 --> 00:48:05,720 going to allow the powers that be or persecution or the evil 758 00:48:05,720 --> 00:48:10,160 corruption erode the church, Even disasters, natural, natural 759 00:48:10,160 --> 00:48:11,760 disasters. He still has his eye on his 760 00:48:11,760 --> 00:48:14,720 church. He's watching, He's caring. 761 00:48:17,680 --> 00:48:22,760 So the Spirit is here and what where I want to end is how the 762 00:48:22,760 --> 00:48:26,600 disciples reacted to this news in verse 29. 763 00:48:26,600 --> 00:48:30,480 So the disciples determined everyone according to his 764 00:48:30,480 --> 00:48:34,320 ability to send relief to the brothers living in Judea, 765 00:48:36,320 --> 00:48:40,120 worldwide famine. And you know what the disciples 766 00:48:40,120 --> 00:48:43,040 don't do? They don't disperse and isolate 767 00:48:43,040 --> 00:48:46,960 themselves and fear about what was going to happen to their 768 00:48:46,960 --> 00:48:52,680 bank accounts, to their crops, to the future of their children. 769 00:48:53,280 --> 00:48:58,080 They responded almost like instinct with selfless action. 770 00:48:59,560 --> 00:49:01,400 What do you see here? Why am I bringing this to your 771 00:49:01,400 --> 00:49:02,920 attention? In light of what's happening in 772 00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:05,920 our world, may not be a famine. It may be a famine down the 773 00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:08,160 road. But in light of the unrest, 774 00:49:08,160 --> 00:49:11,680 civilly, universally, what do you have here? 775 00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:14,120 An axe. You have a missionally minded 776 00:49:14,120 --> 00:49:19,840 church. Missionally minded that when 777 00:49:19,840 --> 00:49:22,880 they saw this, they realized what do we do to strengthen the 778 00:49:22,880 --> 00:49:24,520 people of God? What do we do to help our 779 00:49:24,520 --> 00:49:28,400 brethren? What do we do so they weren't 780 00:49:28,400 --> 00:49:32,360 dragging their feet and murmuring about the mysteries of 781 00:49:32,360 --> 00:49:34,960 this world to the point where they're not acting at all and 782 00:49:35,240 --> 00:49:37,440 not praying at all and not rejoicing. 783 00:49:37,440 --> 00:49:41,080 Stronger and not be asking God for greater opportunities to 784 00:49:41,080 --> 00:49:44,440 tell people about this gospel. Not doing that. 785 00:49:46,160 --> 00:49:47,920 Unshaken, just like their God in heaven. 786 00:49:48,520 --> 00:49:50,440 Unmoved, just like that throne we read about. 787 00:49:51,120 --> 00:49:53,160 That's what the church is supposed to be in this hour, 788 00:49:54,000 --> 00:49:57,840 more active than ever. Our meetings across this land 789 00:49:57,840 --> 00:50:02,120 should be absolutely packed. We should show the world that we 790 00:50:02,120 --> 00:50:06,200 have greater reason to rejoice. We should show the world that we 791 00:50:06,200 --> 00:50:08,480 have nothing to fear, nothing to worry about. 792 00:50:08,480 --> 00:50:11,920 And not just in our meetings, in your life and in mine, outside 793 00:50:11,920 --> 00:50:14,920 of these walls. So when those conversations come 794 00:50:14,920 --> 00:50:18,840 up, when questions are asked, when a new videos popped in your 795 00:50:18,840 --> 00:50:22,680 face, ask the Lord for the grace for the gospel to shine through 796 00:50:22,680 --> 00:50:25,560 you. Ask God for the wisdom to know 797 00:50:25,560 --> 00:50:28,440 how to put in these kernels of truth. 798 00:50:29,600 --> 00:50:34,000 Ask God for even the mercy. That without words, just just 799 00:50:34,000 --> 00:50:39,960 your posture and your language to testify of something that is 800 00:50:39,960 --> 00:50:45,000 unexplainable. So I want to tell you today that 801 00:50:45,000 --> 00:50:47,120 there is a horizontal response to everything. 802 00:50:47,480 --> 00:50:50,840 And I wasn't planning on in this way, but I'm going to end this 803 00:50:50,840 --> 00:50:52,880 way. There's also a vertical 804 00:50:52,880 --> 00:50:55,800 response. I told you the last text was our 805 00:50:55,800 --> 00:51:01,640 last text, but I promise you to this one in Hebrews. 806 00:51:03,400 --> 00:51:05,520 And as I turn to, the priest team can join me on this 807 00:51:05,520 --> 00:51:13,520 platform. Aren't you excited to be a 808 00:51:13,520 --> 00:51:16,320 Christian in these days? I'm so excited. 809 00:51:17,120 --> 00:51:31,790 Hebrews 12/28 Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a 810 00:51:31,790 --> 00:51:35,750 Kingdom that cannot be shaken. And thus let us offer to God 811 00:51:35,750 --> 00:51:38,030 acceptable worship with reverence and awe. 812 00:51:39,510 --> 00:51:42,830 For our God is a consuming fire. Isn't that what Isaiah was told? 813 00:51:43,590 --> 00:51:46,590 What's the context of us rejoicing in the truth that our 814 00:51:46,590 --> 00:51:49,440 Kingdom cannot be shaken? Look at verse 27. 815 00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:53,200 This phrase yet once more indicates the removal of things 816 00:51:53,200 --> 00:51:56,760 that are shaken, that is, things that have been made in order 817 00:51:56,760 --> 00:51:58,880 that things that cannot be shaken may remain. 818 00:52:00,960 --> 00:52:03,680 What's this prophecy telling us that there's a time coming where 819 00:52:03,680 --> 00:52:07,640 everything that has been made will be shaken? 820 00:52:09,120 --> 00:52:13,880 And what's the response? The response is, yes, we saw an 821 00:52:13,880 --> 00:52:17,680 example of the church when the world was caught by famine. 822 00:52:17,680 --> 00:52:19,920 They were active. But also there's a vertical 823 00:52:19,920 --> 00:52:24,480 response to give God worship with reverence and and what? 824 00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:27,840 Ah, that fear. Why? 825 00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:30,000 Because you have inherited something that can never be 826 00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:33,760 taken from you. You're a Christian, blood 827 00:52:33,880 --> 00:52:39,200 bought, eternally secured, and you have a future. 828 00:52:40,120 --> 00:52:43,080 And no matter how wonderful this nation is, and we should praise 829 00:52:43,080 --> 00:52:46,680 God, there's no nation like it. It doesn't compare to the 830 00:52:46,680 --> 00:52:48,360 Kingdom that you've inherited by faith. 831 00:52:49,080 --> 00:52:51,640 So there's a greater hope, a greater joy, a greater delight, 832 00:52:51,640 --> 00:52:55,640 a greater, a greater government that awaits because we serve a 833 00:52:55,640 --> 00:52:57,800 great God. So let's stand and give him that 834 00:52:57,800 --> 00:53:05,480 worship and thank him with reverence, in awe, sacrifice of 835 00:53:05,480 --> 00:53:05,920 praise.