It really is amazing to think that you and I, for the past few
months and hopefully in the months to come, are looking at a
book that predicts the future. Just think about that.
We're looking at God's claims and his predictions and his
foreshadowings of what is yet to come.
That that thought alone is mind boggling.
And we will continue to do that today as we come now to the Book
of Revelation and open up chapter 14.
Please meet me there in Revelation chapter 14.
We have spent three Sundays in chapter 13 alone.
And if you've been with us, then I'm sure that you would agree
that what is presented in that chapter is quite weighty and
sobering in terms of prophecy. And if we're not careful, we can
easily allow the truths in it to instill distress and angst as we
consider the condition of the world as it approaches its end.
I mean, to think that one single man will have success in
deceiving the nation's to become a concentration camp on a global
scale is alarming. But thanks be to God that
Revelation chapter 13 is not the final chapter of this book.
As we come to this new chapter, you'll realize that the very
introduction is presented in a way that quickly extinguishes
any fear or any kind of misconceptions that the visions
presented before concerning the two beasts might have created.
And the way this new chapter does that is by giving us a
preview, a trailer of the reign of Christ and the triumph of the
Saints with Him. But before we look at these
things in greater detail, we have to remember that although
the Book of Revelation is framed chronologically, it does not
follow a rigid linear sequence of events like many other books,
especially the prophetic ones. Sometimes the author, led by the
Holy Spirit, steps in and out of the timeline in order to convey
a message or present a theme. So there are moments where
sometimes you're reading prophetic literature and it
seems like things are unfolding in order and all of a sudden in
the next scene, you're taken back to the past or it fast
forwards again to the future. Because there's something that
you and I need to be aware of that's coming ahead in order to
clarify something that we are engaging with in the moment.
And that's exactly what Revelation 14 is all about.
John is giving us a glimpse of Christ, his Kingdom, his reign,
his people, his victory, in order to encourage his people
today in order to speak to us at this point.
They have not yet been realized in the prophetic timeline of
Revelation, but he reaches ahead and brings it to this juncture
in order, you and I to be reminded, oh, it's not going to
end with the reign of the Antichrist.
He's not going to have the final say.
He's not going to have total and lasting victory.
Let's not forget that the horrible events of Revelation
chapter 13 take place within 3 1/2 years in that time span,
because Revelation 13 five says that the beast will exercise
authority for 42 months. But what we're going to see now,
as we read these first few verses is the end of the Great
Tribulation. We got a taste of what's going
to happen in the latter portion of it in Revelation 13.
And now in these opening words, we're going to see what's going
to take place at the consummation, at the completion,
at the end. And it will replace any dread,
any concern, any fear, with thrill and with hope.
Let's look at the first 5 verses together.
Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and
with them 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name
written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven,
like the roar of many waters, and like the sound of loud
Thunder. The voice I heard was like the
sound of harpist playing on their harps, and they were
singing a new song before the throne and before the four
living creatures and before the elders.
No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been
redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled
themselves with women, for they are virgins.
It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
These have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God
and the Lamb. And in their mouth no lie was
found, for they are blameless. Let's pray together, Lord.
We can feel the force of these verses just by reading them, but
we pray for greater power as we understand it through
explanation and proclamation. We pray, Lord, that we would
become like this group that we're about to read about who
followed wherever the Lamb went. We want to follow wherever the
Lamb goes. And we pray that you would use
this message to inspire us to live with that ultimate
ambition. We pray these things in the name
of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
So if you remember, one of the outcomes that are difficult to
come to terms with regarding the global reign of the Antichrist
is that he will be allowed to make war on the Saints and to
conquer them. That's what we find in verse 7
of Revelation 13. And we left a question then, to
what extent will the Antichrist have domination over the people
of God? And what this chapter shows us
is that as impressive as the Antichrist empire might be, he
will not have complete victory. He will not be able to totally
annihilate Christian witness, the light of the gospel in that
dark hour of human history, the darkest hour.
And one way that this is demonstrated is by the Holy
Spirit reintroducing to us the 144,000.
We remember them, right? We learn about them back in
Chapter 7. They describe a select group of
Jewish believers who were saved early in the Tribulation period.
And because they were saved early, God took steps in order
to safeguard them from the troubles and the judgments that
would come ahead because they would be set apart to serve a
particular purpose on the earth, very likely to be a witness to
the rest of the nation of Israel and to the world.
Go to Chapter 7 and let's see what God did for this group of
people in order to protect them ahead.
Revelation Chapter 7, verse 2 and 3.
John says, Then I saw another Angel ascending from the rising
of the sun with the seal of the living God, and he called with a
loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm
earth and sea, saying, Do not harm the earth or the sea or the
trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their
foreheads. Then he goes on to describe the
144,012 thousand from distinct tribes of Israel.
Now whatever the seal was, whatever the seal will be, we
know for certain that it is meant to shield this group of
people, that they would be untouched specifically by the
judgments of God that would be unleashed from this point
forward. And this tells us something
significant because we read about them in Chapter 7, they
reappear in chapter 14. And what do we discover about
the 144,000? If Chapter 7 was about them
early in the tribulation, being saved, being sealed so that they
would be protected. Now we come to chapter 14 and
we're looking at the end of the tribulation.
What do we discover? Not one of them was lost, not
one. With all the tribulation, with
all the tragedies, with all the trauma, God did not lose a
single one of them. It doesn't say that there were
139,999 standing on Mount Zion. 144,000 You know what that tells
me? Whomever God seals, he secures.
That's what that tells me. And if you think, well, this has
to be some special privilege for this distinct group of people in
the future, you're dead wrong. May I remind you of the promise
in Ephesians 1? You know this very well.
Just sit back and hear it again because it's your inheritance.
Ephesians one, verse 13 to 14 in him.
Oh, Paul loves to use that in him.
He wants to talk about what it's like to be in Christ.
Listen what he says at this point in him.
You also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation and believed in him.
So pause. If you heard the pure gospel and
if you believed in him and believed in that message, this
is your inheritance. What is it?
We're sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
How do I feel the seal? Whether you feel it or not
doesn't matter. It's by faith you were sealed
with the promised Holy Spirit. To what end?
Verse 14. Who is the guarantee of our
inheritance? You know what that word means?
Down payment. Who is the guarantee of our
inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise
of His glory. On my way here, or earlier this
morning rather, my mind went to the words of Jesus in John
chapter 6 when He defined what the will of God was for Him and
His mission. Listen to John 6 verse 39.
And this is the will of him who sent me.
Let me ask you this, if you were to explain to somebody, hey,
what's what was the will of God the Father for Jesus Christ his
Son as He came to the earth, what would you say to die on the
cross for our sins? Surely that's the safest answer.
That's the most glorious answer, but it's more than that.
He goes on to say that I should lose nothing of all that He has
given me, but raise it up on the last day.
You understand this? Christ didn't just come to save
us, He came to secure us. Which means if you are His, you
will be raised on the last day. He won't overlook any single one
of us. He won't forget any one of us.
He has you and your name in mind up to that final moment when all
things will be made new, including yourself.
He will not lose 1. He did not lose 1.
And if it was true for them, surely it is true for us.
Now with many parts, like with many parts of the Book of
Revelation, there is some debate about the verses that we read
primarily with the location of the vision that John is
experiencing. Before we read about the Lamb
and the 144,000 he mentions how they stood on Mount Zion.
Now many believe that John here is seeing a vision of heaven,
and they equate Mount Zion here with what you read in Hebrews
chapter 12, verse 22, where Mount Zion is a reference for
heaven, a component of the spiritual heavenly realm.
So they make that automatic connection.
But there are two reasons why Mount Zion can't mean heaven in
this instance #1 if the scene was in heaven, then that would
imply that the 144,000 died and went there.
But then that would put into question the seal that they
received back in Chapter 7, and it might even call into question
God's protective power. Moreover, look at the language
in the beginning here at verse 2, where John says, and I heard
a voice from heaven. Again, this suggests that he's
not in heaven in this vision. He's on the earth and he's
hearing something from above. He's hearing something in a
parallel world. It's from heaven.
He's not in heaven. So if Mount Zion here does not
speak about the dwelling place of God above, then what does it
refer to? And if you were there yesterday,
then you're going to hear it again.
This is where the Old Testament helps us illustrate and
understand passages in the new over and over again.
The prophets of old when proclaiming what Messiah would
accomplish, the Savior, the Anointed 1 frequently what is
brought up is that part of his victorious arrival is that He
will rule and reign from physical Jerusalem, that He will
establish His headquarters on where Mount Zion.
So listen to these words. I'm going to just quote 3
passages. There are many, but listen to
these notable ones. I mean, how can you miss Psalm
chapter 2 verse 6? As for me, I've set my king on
Zion, my holy hill. Isaiah 2421 and 23 On that day
the Lord will punish the host of heaven in heaven and the kings
of the earth On the earth they'll be gathered together as
prisoners in a pit. They'll be shut up in a prison,
and after many days they shall or they will be punished.
Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed.
For the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and
his glory will be before his elders.
If it wasn't clear, listen to the words of Micah.
Micah chapter 4, verse six to seven in that day.
Notice they're speaking about the day to come.
In that day, declares the Lord, I will assemble the lame, and
gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I've
afflicted, and the lame I will make the remnant and those who
are cast off a strong nation, and the Lord will reign over
them. Where?
In Mount Zion, from this time forth and forevermore.
Is there any wonder why there's so much contention around that
piece of real estate even now? You think this is political?
We're a spiritual people, and the Bible tells us that there is
good and evil, the Kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of
light. There's a spiritual battle going
on, and we see it here. Jesus Christ, the risen Savior,
has his eyes on Jerusalem because he's going to rule from
there. Whether you like it or not, He
will. And what John is seeing here is
a fast forwarded vision. He is seeing a preview again of
how Christ will fulfill those very prophecies.
What do we learn from this? John is completely consistent
with the Old Testament. He's in concert with these
prophecies and he's giving us a preview of the same truth.
And the reason it's mentioned at this point is to remind us again
that the empire of the Antichrist will not adore.
It will be overthrown. There will come a time when
Christ descends and put an end to all these things, and He will
establish His millennial reign for 1000 years.
But the sight of the millennial reign is not the only thing that
captivates John. He goes from seeing the Lamb
with the 144,000 standing with him on Mount Zion to a sound.
He hears something. And what is it that he hears?
We'll look again at verse 2 and 3, And I heard a voice from
heaven, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of
loud Thunder. The voice I heard was like the
sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were
singing a new song before the throne and before the four
living creatures and before the elders.
So as he has this vision that's so clear and so consistent with
the Old Testament especially, the next thing that catches his
attention is this swelling sound from heaven.
There is this overflowing praise from above that's spilling unto
the earth, because now heaven and earth is seeing Christ
ruling and reigning. Now the manifestation of His
Kingdom has arrived, and all of heaven rejoices because of it.
And it makes you wonder whether in the millennial reign, at the
end of the Tribulation, when Christ does descend and rule for
that period of time, if there will be some kind of awareness
or special connection between heaven and earth.
It's one thing to just think about, I think.
And as tempting as it is to explore that further, there is
something else that really stands out in this passage.
Not only that John hears this song, but he realizes that there
is a select group who alone can learn it and sing it with them.
So it's not this corporate thing where everybody is involved.
Yes, all of heaven is rejoicing, but on earth there's only one
group who participates. Look again at the last part of
verse 3. No one could learn that song
except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
You know, at face value, your first reaction might be that's
not fair. Why am I restricted from
learning this melody and learning these lyrics?
And I think we have the answer at the very last part of the
last statement there in verse three.
Look at it again, who had been redeemed from the earth?
Now again, at first, that may be a description that includes
anybody who's been saved by Christ, right?
I've been redeemed from the earth.
I'm delivered. I'm no longer a part of this
world and its system. So.
So isn't this for me as well? Well, the meaning of that
phrase, according to the context, is not exactly that.
More accurately, this is a more specific redemption that John is
conveying. Again, it's the 144,000 who had
been redeemed from the earth, meaning that what John is
describing is the preservation and the ultimate deliverance of
this group during the Great Tribulation.
It's their own unique deliverance, their own unique
salvation, not the salvation that we can partake in, but a
salvation from the horrors and the terrors of the Tribulation
period. In other words, the privilege of
this participation is the outcome of the testimony of the
144,000 who endured much during that period of time as God's
faithful servants. And so they are singing in great
part from their experience, and that's why they alone can sing
it now. It's making a little bit more
sense. And the lesson from this, when
that is unlocked, is so moving. And I really do pray that it
blesses you as it blessed me. All the pain, all the suffering,
all the anguish, all the loss, all the betrayal, all the doubt,
all the fear, all the loss that you and I encounter in this
life, especially those that we believe to be uniquely ours.
Like nobody else is going through what I'm going through.
Nobody knows the feelings that I'm feeling.
You know what I get from this verse?
All of that will one day become something you sing about.
That's what we see here. Yeah.
You have to understand they were sealed.
But they weren't completely sheltered from all the
nightmarish realities of the Tribulation period.
There's some debate to what extent they were sealed from.
I'm not going to get into that. But what is clear here is that
they are singing on the other side of their sorrow.
They are singing from the place of being totally redeemed and
realizing that God was faithful to us in these past years of the
most scrutinizing and horrible moments of human history.
Now, the Bible does teach us that there are songs that we can
and should sing in the midst of our tribulation, right?
You see with Paul and Silas where they're shackled in the
jail in Philippi and they're singing hymns.
But the Bible also does teach us that there's a song that awaits
us on the other side of suffering, that there are
special lyrics and a special tune when all things are said
and done. And in this case the 144,000
have their own song. But all surely we will be able
to to rejoice when every kind of suffering imaginable is subdued
by the Lamb. And you and I for endless days
will be outside of its reach. If you are heavy laden today, if
you are hanging by a thread, if you're in Christ, one day you'll
sing about it. Well, let's continue to read
here what we find in Revelation 14.
In verse 4 it says it is these who have not defiled themselves
with women, for they are virgins.
It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God
and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are
blameless. So again, all of this is meant
to encourage the reader. Just coming out of Revelation
chapter 13, Christ will defeat the Antichrist.
Every sorrow and sin will be placed with a heavenly song.
And no matter how much evil seems to gain control of this
world, Christ will stand on Mount Zion.
And so it's looking ahead. And yet, before we move on to
the next section, which we won't touch on today, something
special is added. We go from seeing the 144,000.
Not one is lost, and every single one of them are singing
on Mount Zion with the Lamb. But then we receive a
description of their character and their convictions.
Three times John says it is these, it is these, it is these.
He wants us to know something about them even before we see
them on Mount Zion triumphant. Why is he doing that?
I believe in great part to show us that there was a measure of
victory that was displayed even during the great Tribulation,
that although Christians were haunted and they were killed and
they were massacred, John wants to let us know, let us know that
this 144,000 lived a certain way during that time and that
demonstrated a level of victory. And here's here's what this
means for us. These details, if we look at
them carefully, teaches us something about how you and I
can overcome the spirit of the Antichrist today.
I firmly believe that because again, we have to be reminded of
this, we're looking ahead. But the spirit of this wicked
tyrant, the Bible tells us, is still an operation.
It always has been since the days of Christ manipulating and
perverting and influencing and infiltrating.
And this is will be the climax where that spirit now takes
flesh and blood and does what it wants for a period of time.
So I'm looking at these verses of what the 144,000 were like.
These were, these were, these were, these are.
And I think to myself, OK, I'm sure that there is something
here for me to be able to display some level of victory
with all the garbage that's around us today.
There are three things that stand out, three things that we
have to consider. The first thing that's
highlighted is their sexual purity.
Do you and I want to overcome the spirit of the Antichrist,
all the temptation and filth that he projects and pollutes
with? Well, I see how the 144,000 were
able to. It says here in verse four that
it is these who have been, who have not been defiled or have
not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins.
You know, when we think about the Tribulation period, most
people limit the darkness of that time to the disasters that
will break out, to the wars that will cause calamity and
devastation. But you and I also have to
remember that with every kind of upheaval in that generation,
there will be new levels of darkness in terms of sin, in
terms of temptation, in terms of perversion.
Think about it. You have the Antichrist ruling
and reigning. Don't make the mistake in
thinking that people will be so preoccupied with their daily
survival that they're going to stop sinning or sin less.
In case you don't believe me, scroll back to Revelation 9 to
be reminded of some of the things that will take place in
the most turbulent moments that we have ever known.
Revelation 9, verse 21. The Lord makes us remark.
Nor did they repent of their murders.
People are going to be murdering during this time, or their
sorceries. There's going to be people
practicing witchcraft during this time, or their sexual
immorality, or their thefts. It shouldn't be too difficult to
grasp that there will be new levels of indecency and lewdness
that will be practiced and promoted in these final years.
But even with this heightened temptation and allurements and
lusts, apparently the 144,000. Will not.
Defile themselves and probably the most difficult place to
remain pure. And that's our sexuality.
That's John's evidences in verse 4.
Now there's debate about this. Is this talking about a
spiritual purity, a spiritual virginity?
And the reason why there's debate about that is because it
seems as though John is condemning sexual relations even
within the confines of marriage, right?
Because he says they didn't defile themselves with women,
which might be clue that this 144,000 are predominantly men.
Again, that's debated. No, it's really more spiritual.
OK, let's go, let's go with the more literal here and see how
it's possible. And that they are virgins.
So more than just men, perhaps they they don't ever get
married. So in order to avoid perhaps a
condemnation towards marriage itself, people like to say that
this is more about a spiritual purity and spiritual chastity.
But hold on, there are many ways that that can be defined.
And is it totally unrealistic for these individuals to
actually be virgins without a condemning marriage?
Again, marriage is not in view here.
What's in view here is that these specific people did not
corrupt themselves sexually. And the Bible even shows us in
different places how in distressing times especially, we
have to prioritize our values and our pursuits as the people
of God. Let me give you one example.
You've probably heard teachings about marriage and relationships
from First Corinthians 7. I've said this before, it's
worth repeating. You have to be extremely careful
how you apply First Corinthians 7.
Why? Because it hinges upon and it
orbits around 1 contextual point.
The Corinthian church was going through something when Paul was
giving those instructions. Listen to what he says in First
Corinthians 7 verse 26. I think that in view of the
present distress, it is good for a person to remain as he is.
Verse 27, are you bound to a wife?
Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife?
Do not seek a wife. You know how they can be
misapplied. So all these surrounding verses
and you're teaching on marriage and then you come to this point
and say don't seek a wife if you can stay single.
That's the most the most spiritual thing you can do.
Hold on. Read verse 26 in light of the
present distress. Whatever the Corinthians were
experiencing, most believe it was intense persecution.
What Paul is saying is, hey, maybe this is not the best time
to look for a wife and plan a wedding.
Your life is in danger. You might have to relocate as a
as a church. You might have to hide for some
time. Do you remember what Jesus said
when he pronounced woes concerning the Tribulation and
the great Tribulation period? How difficult it will be for
families and nursing mothers, let me remind you, in Matthew
2419. And alas, the Lord says, and
alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing
infants in those days. So it's not so strange as a
concept then to read about this 144,000 who chose, recognizing
that they were the first fruits of God's work among the nation
of Israel to say, you know, we understand that we are in the
final moments. Let's remain unmarried and in
their unmarried state, they did not defile themselves with
women. Here's what moved me.
If 144,000 more likely men, we can debate.
Let's just say men for now. We're able to remain undefiled
in the most corrupt era of human history.
Can't you and I remain pure today if it was possible?
Well, they seem a little bit like more like super Christians,
really. Are they less human than you?
They might have a unique seal. Aren't we sealed?
Is the Bible being poetic about purity or is it possible?
That's what I want to know, and here's what I've discovered.
It's possible because the Bible says it's possible.
And here's an illustration of it.
There was a group in the final moments of human history who are
able to remain focused, strong, Worshipful in their sexuality.
And we'll get more to that in a moment.
But we have to look here to the second thing that stands out
about how they were able to demonstrate victory even while
it seemed like the Antichrist had victory.
It's their unreserved devotion. We looked at their sexual
purity, but look now to their unreserved devotion.
In the middle there a verse 4 we read.
It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
Oh, I want to frame that statement somewhere.
What a remarkable thing to say about anybody.
And you have to remember this is a summary of their devotion in
the Tribulation period. And most of the world at the
latter portion of that period will be following the Antichrist
up all his deception. We'll be betraying all truth.
We'll be worshipping a man. We'll be living in their sin.
We'll be doing all these heinous things.
And while most of the world is headed in One Direction, this
group, according to this verse, are following the Lamb wherever
he goes. Wherever the Lamb says you go,
they went. Whatever the Lamb said you're
going to do, they did. It was a.
Complete commitment to. The cause of Christ when
literally everything around you. There was not one nation you can
escape to. There was no refuge there.
Was no hint here of an America like we know it today according
to Bible prophecy, all nations will be under a spell and there
will be nowhere to hide but this group they're.
Marching to a different drummer. And the fact?
That Christ is referred. Tier, tier to year as a lamb of
all things. A lamb implies that it is his
humility, it is his sacrifice, it is his innocence that's being
imitated by this group. This does make you want to pray
something. It made me want to pray
something. Lord I, and I mean this
sincerely, I would love for it to be said of me that He
followed the Lamb wherever he goes.
So countercultural. That everybody's being swept up
with this trend and they're believing these ideas and
they're falling for this frenzy. But that man.
He has the lamb. Before him at all times.
Make that your prayer. Lord, wherever you go, I want to
go. However you lead, I will follow.
Whatever you want me to do, I will do it.
On a side note, did you? Notice how in that same
statement says here that they've been redeemed from mankind as
first fruits for God and the Lamb.
Now again. There are those who prefer
spiritualizing passages like this, and one of the things that
they like to do with 144,000 is that this is a symbolic number
which identifies the totality of God's people.
And there are many reasons why. That can't be the case, and one
of them is what we find here. If they are speaking about the
sum of the redeemed, why are they mentioned as the first
fruits at this juncture? That's a strange way of speaking
about the totality of something. And again, if we just honor the
literal interpretation of these verses, then we understand that
this 144,000 are Jewish believers and they.
Were saved early in the. Tribulation as a form of pledge,
as the first fruits that's predicting a greater harvest to
come in which God will reap according to Romans 11, all
Israel will be saved So what we find here with this 145,000 is
the beginnings, it's the budding of a greater promise to come and
so even. In this we have yet.
Another layer of encouragement that what God promised centuries
ago, millennials ago, what we find even in the New Testament
has not been forgotten. God will save the people that he
had made a covenant with, with Abraham.
And it's starting here. So it just do you see what's
happening? We're being having encouragement
heaped upon us, heaping of these truths layered.
And there's one more. Thing to consider about this.
Group it is. That they are blameless in.
Their testimony verse 5 And in their mouth no lie was found,
for they are blameless. So in an age of incredible
deception. At a time of.
Propagating all these falsehoods by the Antichrist, there will be
a group of truth tellers. There will be a group that are
going to refreshingly tell you what God's Word says who will
not waver with the true gospel, who will give you exactly what
the Lord has laid out in His eternal Word.
So again, what John is doing here is describing the 144,000
to show us that there is a threat of victory in the
tribulation period. Not just at the end of it.
There is a great victory to come, but even during it there
was this group who didn't lie with their mouths.
And if we want to do our. Part to combat that evil spirit
it seems to. Be more rampant than ever.
The may we be. Truth tellers as.
Well, I have nothing to apologize for with the truth.
I want to be. Faithful with the truth.
I want to be faithful when I sit across a coffee table with a
friend who is justifying sin and to say with love in my eyes, but
this is what God's Word says. I want to say it, God forbid.
Should there ever come a day where there's pressure from
people to conform this church to be something apart from what God
had said to say, but this is what God has said.
There was no lie found. In their mouth, and they were
blameless because of it. And if you're sitting here today
yearning to reflect the purity and the devotion of this group,
I want to give you some good news.
I don't think it's accidental that out of all the things that
could be said of Christ, the title the Lamb appears three
times in this one section. The Lamb, the lamb, the lamb.
Telling us many things and one of the.
Things that encourages me for and about is that again, if I'm
looking at this and I'm saying, oh, I want to I want that same
resume. If I can use that word, that
same portfolio, that same kind of summary of my life, then I
must draw. I must draw from the love of the
lamb. I must realize the the promises
and the empowerment that is available through the sacrifice
of the Lamb I. Must have a fresh revelation.
Of what the Savior has done by becoming a man and laying his
life down like a lamb and trusting that even even in his
humility, even in his innocence, even in his personal sacrifice,
He will empower me to walk in it.
The Lamb and. In God's Providence, we.
Approach the Lord's Table today to be reminded about that facet
of our Messiah that he took on flesh, that he shed his blood
and he was innocently led, took place of sacrifice because He
loves us. He loved us.
Enough to lay his life. Down.
And he loves us enough to promise to keep us until the
end. Let's celebrate that together.
Father, we ask that. You make these truths real to
us. We long to be pure.
We long to be devoted without reservation, we long to be
blameless in our testimony, and we know that none of those
things are available or achievable apart from the
starting point of what you have done as the Lamb of God.
Thank you for those who have put their faith.
In you today, we get to taste again.
That you have saved. Us and you will secure us until
the end. Receive glory from this time of
rejoicing, knowing that not only have you justified us forever,
but that these are the same means by which you can empower
us to imitate and follow the Lamb.
We ask these things in Jesus name.
Amen. Amen.
Let's stand, Let's worship. And let's prepare our hearts.
To eat together.