1 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:09,760 I'm very interested in the politics of the world at the 2 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:11,480 moment. As Christians, we should be. 3 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:13,280 We should watch on and see what's going on. 4 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:19,080 I see America is going through some big changes, some massive 5 00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:24,320 changes. And so I find that the events in 6 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:29,400 America with Trump and Musk and, and all those things that are 7 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,120 happening in our, I find them fascinating. 8 00:00:33,160 --> 00:00:42,640 Most fascinating because America plays no part in Bible prophecy. 9 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:46,680 As we read the Word of God, we find that fascinating, don't we? 10 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,600 Three things we Calvary Chapel pastors believe about why the 11 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:55,800 United States is in the prophetic picture, as the Word 12 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,880 of God tells us. One, the rapture, when it 13 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,960 occurs, will take so many from the nation that it will 14 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:10,360 devastate the nation. 2 That the internal conflict that bubbles 15 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:15,320 away, I mean, the, the war between the North and the South 16 00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:20,920 and racism and things you don't have to dig very deep to find 17 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,920 they're still bubbling away in the United States. 18 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:29,480 And civil war could be the very next option as this great divide 19 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:33,720 now in politics between the Democrats and the Republicans. 20 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:39,560 It's become a very much a very emotive situation, their 21 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:44,760 politics. And so the third one is that 22 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,400 their own devastation themselves, they'll have so much 23 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:55,960 conflict within themselves is they just won't, won't be a 24 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,520 force in the world anymore because their home, their home 25 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,240 front will be just a mess, too difficult. 26 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:10,800 Trump has already put NATO and Australia and Europe, he said. 27 00:02:11,039 --> 00:02:13,000 You guys, you know, don't depend upon us. 28 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:17,960 The war starts out and depend on us coming to save you like 29 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,240 before, because we've been paying for it. 30 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,320 You haven't been paying for it. We've been paying for it both in 31 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:29,840 money and in military strength and, and, and, and, and American 32 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,120 lives. And that's not, that's not the 33 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:36,160 future anymore. And China is flexing its 34 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,600 muscles. It just doesn't care about what 35 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,080 anyone does. And Putin, he just continues on. 36 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:48,800 Will there be a peace between Ukraine and, and, and Russia? 37 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,840 Who knows, but this was this is what we do know as we open the 38 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,800 Book of Revelation, we get told what is going to happen. 39 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:00,760 What is actually going to happen. 40 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,840 Roman sorry. Revelation chapter 1 The title 41 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,200 of today's message is do not be afraid. 42 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:12,080 Revelation one verse 9 I John, this is John the Apostle. 43 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:16,680 Notice what he writes both your brother, I'm a brother in Christ 44 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,200 and companion in the tribulation. 45 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,160 Now that's not the tribulation that we're going to look at 46 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:28,520 between chapters 6 and 19. This is the time of persecution 47 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,040 that the church was going through at that moment when John 48 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:37,240 is on the island of Patmos. I John, both your brother and 49 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:41,080 companion and in other words, he's he's undergoing persecution 50 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:45,560 personally in the tribulation and Kingdom and patience of 51 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,600 Jesus Christ was on the island that is called Patmos. 52 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:54,400 He was sent there because he was preaching the word of God and 53 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:56,520 for his testimony of Jesus Christ. 54 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:01,000 That's why he was banished. It says in verse 10, I was in 55 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:06,680 the spirit capital S on the Lord's day and I heard behind me 56 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:13,520 a loud voice as a trumpet saying I am the alpha and the Amiga. 57 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:15,880 So we're identifying now who this is. 58 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:22,560 This is God, the 1st and the last and what you see right in a 59 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:26,760 book that is the Book of Revelation and send it to the 60 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:31,560 seven churches which are in Asia, modern day Turkey, to 61 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:37,800 Ephesus, to Smyrna, Pergamos, Ayatira, to Saras, Philadelphia, 62 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:42,280 Laodicea. So John describes the Jesus he 63 00:04:42,280 --> 00:04:46,000 heard. John again tells us that it's 64 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,880 he, it's the apostle John, your brother. 65 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:54,000 I'm the author, and I'm the one that's witnessing what you're 66 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,400 reading, the vision that I've received. 67 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,880 John will tell us once again that he is the author at the end 68 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,600 of this amazing prophetic book. Why is John going to detail 69 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,320 telling us that he's the author? And then again, I don't forget I 70 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:10,840 wrote this. Don't forget I wrote this. 71 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:16,080 Why is John saying this? Well, at the time the revelation 72 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,000 was written, it was an extremely bleak period for the church. 73 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:25,480 The Jewish religious religious community was very active in the 74 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:32,320 persecution of Christians. Cesar Nero had set fire to Rome 75 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,560 and had blamed Christians for the fire and the damage that had 76 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:40,480 blazed through the mighty city of Rome in AD 64. 77 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:46,760 It was also during that time that the apostles Peter and Paul 78 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:53,280 were executed and all the original disciples of Jesus were 79 00:05:53,280 --> 00:05:59,480 being martyred. In AD 81, Domitian became 80 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:04,800 Emperor of Rome and it was he who banished John, the disciple 81 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:10,240 to the island of Patmos. Patmos is some 16 kilometres by 82 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,280 9 kilometres. It's just basically a rock in 83 00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:17,040 the ocean. It's located in the Aegean Sea, 84 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:22,440 it's part of the Greek islands, and it's about 150 kilometres 85 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:28,120 from the city of Myelitis, which was about 57 KS South of 86 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:33,280 Ephesus, modern day Turkey. By now, as John is writing this, 87 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:40,400 all the disciples, all the 12 bar John, we're dead, gone, 88 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:44,400 killed for their faith in Jesus Christ. 89 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:49,680 And the church itself over all worldwide was discouraged and 90 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,080 had been dispersed. Such was the the persecution. 91 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:58,320 Jesus had been gone, now ascended into heaven for more 92 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:04,440 than 60 years, and John himself is in his late 90s. 93 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:12,360 Worst of all, the church was losing its first love for Jesus. 94 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,440 It was walking away from it. In chapter 2, we'll pick this up 95 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:22,440 where Jesus writes to the Church of Ephesus, and the Church of 96 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:26,320 Ephesus covers the history of the churches through this 97 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:30,760 Apostolic period. He says there in chapter 2, 98 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,720 Nevertheless, Jesus says I have this against you. 99 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:40,120 You have left your first love. The church hadn't lost it. 100 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:43,680 It had left it. You know, when you go home, you 101 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:49,160 go out from home and you go my phone, I have left it. 102 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:51,400 You know where it is. But when you go out somewhere 103 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,800 and you you've lost it, you know, I don't, I don't know 104 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:58,640 where it is. And So what was happening, and 105 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:03,480 it's happening today, one of the signs of the last days is that 106 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,800 people would leave the church, walk away. 107 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:15,440 But in these bleakest of times came the light of God's Word to 108 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:21,600 John of Patmos, telling John and the church. 109 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,840 The Book of Revelation is telling us, be courageous, 110 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:33,360 continue in the faith, be ready. Jesus is still ruling from 111 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:35,840 heaven and he is coming back again. 112 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:44,600 To make sure the church knew the validity of the letter. 113 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:51,680 The Book of Revelation which was remember told to be read out in 114 00:08:51,680 --> 00:08:58,840 detail to all these churches. John identifies himself three 115 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,120 times. I wrote this. 116 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,640 I know Jesus, I've seen him again. 117 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,800 And what I'm writing is real. It's true. 118 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:11,160 You can trust it. I, John, tell you this. 119 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:17,120 In other words, John is saying, listen up, it's me, John, stay 120 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:19,960 in the faith even though things are difficult. 121 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:25,320 And Pastor Greg Glory, who's one of the largest churches in 122 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:30,320 Calvary's Harvest, his son, his oldest son was killed in a car 123 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:32,440 accident. The age of I think he was just 124 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:36,360 32. And a devastated Greg, obviously 125 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:41,240 it would, he heard the news. And so all the Calvary's us even 126 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,840 here, we wanted to know, Sunday's coming. 127 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,360 What's what's Greg going to do? Is he going to get up in church? 128 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:50,480 Is he going to preach? What's he's going to say? 129 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:54,840 His eldest son has just been killed terribly in a car 130 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:57,400 accident on the freeways in California. 131 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:08,040 So Greg got up and he said, I still believe. 132 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,040 And he sat down and someone else taught. 133 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:16,560 He says, I still believe. You see, there are times in 134 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:22,040 which you and I go through great crisis and crisis in our lives. 135 00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:25,400 And we we wonder, we see what's going to happen. 136 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,520 And in the time that you and I live now, we're going to see a 137 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,520 falling away. But as I said to you as we were 138 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,880 worshipping at the announcements today, as you come to church, 139 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:39,960 you're saying to the world, you're saying to the enemy, 140 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:45,840 you're saying to those who have written you off, I still 141 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,360 believe. I know God's going to come 142 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:52,560 through. I still believe and John is 143 00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:57,640 saying this to the church. Stay in the faith, stay in the 144 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:01,880 faith even though John has been banished to a rocky, barren, 145 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:06,440 desolate island. God was declaring I have not 146 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,920 forsaken you John, I know you're there and neither have I 147 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:17,560 forsaken my church. Patmos was not a God forsaken 148 00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:20,120 island because God was with John. 149 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:25,560 And it's interesting that John was allowed in God's will to be 150 00:11:25,560 --> 00:11:27,520 placed on Patmos. Why? 151 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:34,320 So that you and I today in 2025 could read this vision, this 152 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,560 prophecy. That's why John was banished. 153 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,400 There was a purpose. There's always a purpose in the 154 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,400 sorrow and the persecution that you face. 155 00:11:44,560 --> 00:11:48,880 It is never wasted. There's always a purpose. 156 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,920 Look at the book of Job. Job, who went through so much? 157 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,840 How much of you and I learn from Job? 158 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,200 Jesus said himself, I will build my church. 159 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:05,480 And what did he say after that? The gates of hell shall not 160 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:10,240 prevail against it. We have a building programme 161 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:14,160 we've sent into the City of Rockingham and I've said, oh we 162 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:18,680 don't like it, Paul Reed wrote. I wrote back to him. 163 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,680 I said I don't care. City of Rockingham doesn't like 164 00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:25,440 it. God will sort it out. 165 00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:31,520 God will sort it out. We need you to pray, but we need 166 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:35,120 you to pray for God's will to be done and our extensions. 167 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:37,560 We want another 4 classrooms. We want a youth room. 168 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,840 We want it out the front there. That's where we want it. 169 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:48,560 John would be later freed from Patmos, his exiled by Emperor 170 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:53,840 Nerva, who did not formally recognise Christianity, said I 171 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:55,200 don't believe it's a religion at all. 172 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,520 Therefore anyone who could made a confession about Christ didn't 173 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:01,360 bother him. He said it's not a political 174 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:03,160 crime because I don't recognise religion. 175 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,960 And John returned to Ephesus, where he passed away a few years 176 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:14,120 later, dying of old age. John's circumstances on Patmos 177 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:20,040 remind us that the most difficult times in our lives can 178 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:26,560 also be the most fruitful. I don't like them, we don't 179 00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:33,040 enjoy them, but when we look back, they are indeed always the 180 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:36,040 most fruitful. When Pilgrims Progress was 181 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:40,320 written, and I encourage you to read it once a year, it's a it's 182 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:42,520 a once a year reader. Pilgrims Progress should all 183 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:46,880 read it once a year. The author, John Bunyan was 184 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:51,280 serving a 12 year prison sentence for the crime of 185 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:57,360 preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ without a licence. 12 186 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,480 years. But in that 12 years he wrote 187 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,760 what you and I have. Pilgrims Progress. 188 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:07,480 If God hadn't allowed him to go to gaol for that 12 years, we 189 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,560 wouldn't read that great book. Pilgrims Progress Who could 190 00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:15,240 forget the great hymn writer Horatio Spafford? 191 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:19,000 He and his wife are buried in Jerusalem. 192 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:23,560 They went to Jerusalem later in the years of that life, they 193 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,760 served as missionaries there, cared for the homeless there. 194 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:32,880 Horatio Spafford, who lost all four of his daughters to 195 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:36,360 drowning through shipwreck on the 22nd of November. 196 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:44,760 And when Horatio Spafford sailed on a boat, a ship after 197 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:49,120 following the same course to England, coming across the 198 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,920 location where the captain of the ship said, Sir, this is 199 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,280 where it occurred. This is where the ship went 200 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:55,840 down. Your daughters were lost. 201 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:00,800 It's there that John Spafford, Horatio, sorry, Horatio Spafford 202 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:02,360 wrote. It is well. 203 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:10,840 It is well within my soul when peace like a river attends my 204 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:15,080 way, when sorrows like sea below's roll. 205 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:20,040 Whatever my lot you have taught me to say, it is well. 206 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:23,200 It is well within my soul. And you can go. 207 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,280 When we go to Israel, we'll take you to the place. 208 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:30,960 And you can actually see the handwritten lyrics of Horatio 209 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,000 Sperben. They contain on a wall in 210 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,480 Jerusalem. You can see them, but this is we 211 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:38,600 wouldn't have it as well. How many people have been been 212 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:42,480 touched by the power of God by singing it as well it as well 213 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:53,200 within my soul 1873 that occurred and many of the Psalms 214 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:56,720 we read that King David wrote were written during the period 215 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:01,400 that King Saul was out trying to kill him time and time again 216 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,720 month after month, David anointed king by God. 217 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:10,680 You Saul, King Saul is hunting him down trying to kill him. 218 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:13,080 You go how did this how does this work. 219 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:19,080 But during those that period of being haunted by Saul, David 220 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:21,840 wrote many of the the greatest psalms that we have in the 221 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,960 Bible. On a deserted rocky island, an 222 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:30,920 old man, the last living of the 12 disciples, received the 223 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,880 greatest vision ever recorded. And John receives the vision. 224 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:39,400 He says I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and I heard 225 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:41,600 behind me a loud voices of the trumpet. 226 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:45,840 How would John have known it was the Lord's Day? 227 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:51,000 Sunday? Sunday was the Lord's day after 228 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:52,760 the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 229 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:58,720 Every believer, all believers met Sunday not on the Sabbath. 230 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:00,920 Jewish Sabbath was still Saturday. 231 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:04,000 Sunday. How does John know it's Sunday? 232 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,319 The paper didn't just roll up it, you know. 233 00:17:06,319 --> 00:17:09,359 And here's a paper, John. Oh, it's Sunday. 234 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,440 He didn't have a calendar hanging on the prison wall. 235 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,240 No daily recording of days or months. 236 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:26,920 Was it because John purposely had, from the time he arrived, 237 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:31,720 took careful track of the days? Why would he do that? 238 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,080 Because he doesn't want to miss out church on Sunday. 239 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:44,920 Even on Patmos and on every Sunday, John prayed, worship and 240 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:47,240 met with the Lord. John worship. 241 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:52,360 The Lord is God even though alone on that day without fail. 242 00:17:53,280 --> 00:18:00,120 It reminds me of Daniel and he's cohorts taken out of Israel, 243 00:18:00,120 --> 00:18:04,320 young teenagers placed in Babylon, yet they lived 244 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:09,440 according to the time clock of the prayers and the sacrifices 245 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:13,200 that were still once had undergone in Jerusalem. 246 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:17,280 I want to ask you today, how do you treat gathering with church? 247 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,760 People say you know. Well, is it really important if 248 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:21,280 you know? Does it doesn't you know? 249 00:18:22,360 --> 00:18:23,880 Does a Christian have to go to church? 250 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:30,000 No, doesn't make you a Christian either. 251 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,480 But here's the deal. And the writer of Hebrews writes 252 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:43,200 this Hebrews 1025. Let us not neglect our meeting 253 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:54,320 together as some people do, but encourage one another and why, 254 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:59,440 especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. 255 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,800 You know, it's, it's, it's like everything else, how you treat 256 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:07,480 it. Church for me is important. 257 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,080 Why is it important? It's not about the church 258 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:14,800 itself. It's about my salvation and my 259 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:19,000 walk with God. I'm a Christian, this is what I 260 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:22,360 do. I used to be on 24/7 call with 261 00:19:22,360 --> 00:19:24,560 the police and my job as a chaplain there. 262 00:19:25,120 --> 00:19:34,120 But I reminded them, now you used to ringing me at 11:50 or 263 00:19:34,120 --> 00:19:39,040 at six because my phone will be in my office and I'll be sitting 264 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:45,000 worshipping the Lord. You see, your clock should be 265 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:48,600 the Lord's clock. You don't fit in Christ. 266 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:50,120 Where? Oh, well, we got a few things 267 00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:51,560 on. We're doing this that doesn't. 268 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:55,480 I can't comprehend that and John couldn't comprehend that. 269 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:58,560 This is not a casual get together. 270 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,400 It's not a, it's not a football club, a Country Club, a surf 271 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,960 club or anything like that. This is the body of Christ. 272 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:08,640 We've come to worship the Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven 273 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:14,280 on earth, who has saved us. From our sins gives us mercy and 274 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:18,080 grace every day, feeds us, clothes us and allows my heart 275 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:22,720 to beat my lungs to work. Am I to treat that casually? 276 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:27,400 And it's interesting that marriage today and the way it 277 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:32,880 falls apart in so many homes is such a reflection on a on a 278 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:38,000 person's relationship with God. We sit use the Marriage Act in 279 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:42,640 the book of Ephesians chapter 5 where Paul tells what a husband 280 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:46,520 has to do and how a wife is to work and he says this is the 281 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:48,200 great mystery. It's the reflection. 282 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:53,320 Marriage is a reflection of our relationship with God and you 283 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:56,920 know your marriage will fall apart if you treat it casually. 284 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,080 Where should a husband be? Where should a wife be? 285 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:06,240 What should they be doing on on days and and whatever it's 286 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:12,400 pretty simple. It's clear, don't toy with 287 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:19,480 something that is precious and turn it into something that is 288 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:25,320 indifferent and without emotion, impact or passion. 289 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:30,160 And that's how marriages fall. And that's why people walk away 290 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:31,680 from the Lord because they treat it well. 291 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:33,560 It doesn't really make any difference if I don't go. 292 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,800 It doesn't matter. Skip and miss, Hit miss. 293 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:37,880 No, I won't be home in a marriage. 294 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:39,840 I won't be home this week. Oh, OK. 295 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:41,160 So you're not a husband this week. 296 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:45,520 No, no, be back next week. We do that with parenting. 297 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,920 Kids are the same. We parent doesn't let them, just 298 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:51,800 let them go. You know, we parent every now 299 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:57,440 and then when the need arises. No, you parent 24/7. 300 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:00,520 You parent all the time. It's not just when the need 301 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:07,160 arises. Let us not neglect our meeting 302 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:11,760 together as some people do. Don't you be as some people do, 303 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:17,280 but encourage one another. See you in church, see you 304 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:22,200 Sunday, see you Wednesday. Especially now that the day of 305 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,840 his return is drawing near. Because I tell you, Jesus is 306 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:30,240 coming. Did John recognise that voice 307 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,880 when Jesus spoke to him again? Absolutely. 308 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:36,520 But there was something about this voice at this time. 309 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,440 He knew that voice. Verse 12. 310 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,080 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me, and having 311 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:49,040 turned, I saw 7 golden lampstands, and in the midst of 312 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:54,840 the seven lampstands one, like the Son of Man, clothed with a 313 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,880 garment down to the feet, girded about the chest with a golden 314 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:04,080 band. His head and his hair were white 315 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:09,520 like wool, as white as snow, his eyes like a flame of fire. 316 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:14,920 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace. 317 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:20,280 And his voice as the sound of many waters he had on his right 318 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:25,560 hand, 7 stars out of his mouth when a sharp 2 edged sword. 319 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:27,840 Now obviously a sword didn't actually go out of his mouth. 320 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:32,280 It's the word of God. And his countenance was like the 321 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,000 sun shining in its strength. In other words, his overall 322 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:38,520 appearance was dazzling, dazzling. 323 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:43,240 John describes now the Jesus he saw on Patmos. 324 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:49,440 John struggles to detail just how he saw Jesus and all his 325 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:53,480 glory he's trying to describe to us glorified Jesus. 326 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:58,640 So John uses symbolic and comparative language as he 327 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:03,560 struggles to put into words to explain the glorious appearance 328 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:07,160 of Jesus, the risen Son of God in all his glory. 329 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:10,960 The first thing John sees and describes, he says, And having 330 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:16,280 turned, I saw 7 golden lamp stands, 7 lamp stands. 331 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,720 They represent the seven churches we're told he is 332 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:23,240 writing to. And John sees Jesus. 333 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,680 And where is Jesus? He's in the midst, in the middle 334 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:31,920 of the churches. In other words, he sees Jesus 335 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:37,080 walking amongst the lamp stands, just as we are reminded on the 336 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:39,200 story. And Daniel of the three young 337 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,640 teenage Hebrews were thrown into a blasting fiery furnace by 338 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,440 Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 339 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:51,960 Daniel 324 King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished as he peered into 340 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:56,760 the blaze and spoke, saying to his counsellors, Didn't we cast 341 00:24:56,760 --> 00:25:00,000 three men bound into the midst of the fire? 342 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:03,200 They answered, Said the king, true king. 343 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:13,200 Look, he answered, I see four men loose walking in the midst 344 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,960 of the fire. They are not hurt and the form 345 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:20,400 of the 4th is like the Son of God. 346 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:28,480 What does that mean for for us today in June 2025? 347 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:36,360 You and I today can know with confidence and you need to be 348 00:25:36,360 --> 00:25:38,240 confident, not confident in yourself. 349 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:41,360 I'm hopeless. Conrad came around, was doing 350 00:25:41,360 --> 00:25:43,440 some work at our house electrician this week and I 351 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:45,480 explained him. Conrad can't dig a hole. 352 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:49,680 I can dig a hole, it'll fall in If I drill some the holes too 353 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:51,240 big, too small, something will break. 354 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:52,760 I'm just hopeless. I am. 355 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:54,960 I could never be a tradesman's assistant. 356 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:58,240 I'd be the tradesman's nightmare. 357 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:07,200 And so my confidence, I have none in me. 358 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:12,360 And as I grow older in decision making and being wise and what 359 00:26:12,360 --> 00:26:14,800 to do, I have no confidence in me because you know what? 360 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:20,320 I look back and I've gone, oh man, make some mistakes, costly 361 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:27,200 mistakes, but my confidence in God is, is full blown. 362 00:26:28,360 --> 00:26:31,480 I know. I know what God's word says. 363 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:35,920 I know Christ is coming back. I know what he's done for me. 364 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:39,120 I know that I don't have to fear anything. 365 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:46,600 And so in June 2025, you and I can know with confidence that 366 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,200 Jesus Christ is walking with you. 367 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:57,560 He's with you and I today. He's walking with you and I 368 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:02,600 today in the fires of our afflictions because each and 369 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:04,600 every one of us will come into them. 370 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:08,080 We'll go out of them and we'll some of you are in them, some of 371 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:10,640 you are just coming out of them, and some of you are about to go 372 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:14,320 into them. But know this. 373 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:19,760 Wherever you are in that line, there's someone walking with 374 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:24,080 you. He walks with you in the trials 375 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:29,880 and the storms that each of us are enduring at this moment and 376 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:33,360 wonderfully to note this, and you and I need to note this, 377 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:39,680 that Jesus is in the very midst of this, His church, Calvary 378 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:42,920 Chapel, Secret Harbour. This is his church. 379 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:45,560 He's here, He's in the midst of it. 380 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:49,080 The Bible tells us that he's the head of the church. 381 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,760 He's the head of the body. We are not alone. 382 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:55,640 The council can say we don't like that. 383 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:57,320 Good. Thank you. 384 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:01,000 Sort it out with the Lord, sort it out with the Lord. 385 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:04,240 He'll sort it out. He'll make his way through. 386 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,400 He does everything now. So we give the problem over to 387 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:11,360 him. We say, God, we have a situation 388 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:15,440 you, we give it to you now. We place it in your hands. 389 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:20,280 Your will be done in this matter and we'll go you beauty, however 390 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:24,280 it works. Verse 13 And in the midst of the 391 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:27,800 seven lampstands, one, like the Son of Man, clothed with a 392 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:31,120 garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a 393 00:28:31,120 --> 00:28:35,400 golden band. Jesus is clothed with a garment 394 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,760 down to his feet, and he has a gold band across his chest. 395 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,600 This is the exact same description of that which was 396 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:47,160 worn by the whole High priest, reminding us that Jesus Christ 397 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:53,720 is our High Priest. Hebrews 414 Seeing then that we 398 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:58,800 have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, he 399 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:02,480 ascended up into the clouds in the next heaven to the other 400 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:05,240 heaven, and he's now seated at the right hand of the Father 401 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:10,720 Jesus, the Son of God. Let us hold fast our confession, 402 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:15,920 for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathise with our 403 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:21,240 weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet 404 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:26,280 without sin. Let us therefore, based on all 405 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,600 that the writer of Hebrews says, come boldly. 406 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:31,520 How that's confident? Boldly. 407 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:33,480 I'm going to pray. God's going to sort this out. 408 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:36,680 I'll give it to the Lord. I'll bring the matter to him. 409 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,040 Yeah, I'm going to Miss Lord. I'm bringing it to you. 410 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:43,720 Let us come boldly to the throne of grace. 411 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:45,880 It's not a throne of judgement. Oh, you idiot. 412 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:47,320 You don't like you mucked it up again. 413 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:49,000 You're a drongo. No. 414 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:50,720 Aren't you glad that God's not like you? 415 00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:54,960 You'll be pretty tough as God. You would have killed everyone. 416 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:03,240 But it's a throne. It's a throne of grace. 417 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:06,640 You know what grace is. God does not give us what we 418 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,680 deserve. I know what I deserve. 419 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:13,520 I deserve a good clip, good boot in the behind. 420 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:23,280 God doesn't give me that. That we may obtain mercy and 421 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:26,760 find grace to help in time of need. 422 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:29,880 Mercy. And you know what you can do? 423 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:37,160 You can call on him now. As our High Priest, Jesus prays 424 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:40,600 and intercedes for us. He invites us to approach him. 425 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:42,640 God encourage you. Come. 426 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,520 You ever had a mum and dad go? No get away. 427 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:52,800 Maybe some of you have, but the God who is our Father in heaven, 428 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:55,440 you know what he wants. He wants you to come. 429 00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:59,560 You know that in the Psalms it says that God is ready to 430 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:01,800 forgive. He knows we've played up we've, 431 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:05,800 he knows we've broken the law. He knows we've bundled and 432 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:10,400 stumbled and done things wrong. And it says in the Psalm that 433 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:13,360 paints the picture, God says, I want you to come. 434 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:16,200 You know why I want you to come? Because I want to forgive you. 435 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:20,600 I'm ready to forgive you. You just need to come. 436 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:26,240 You need to come to him. Let us therefore, come boldly to 437 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:30,000 the throne of grace. And as our High Priest, Jesus 438 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:34,640 prays and intercedes for us, invites us to approach him and 439 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:38,160 his throne of grace by prayer. At any time, no matter where you 440 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,480 are, you can pray and you're at the throne of grace. 441 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:43,800 I can be sitting on a surfboard out in the ocean and I can pray 442 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:48,880 and I'm at the throne of grace. But especially when we need 443 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:51,560 mercy. And you know who needs mercy? 444 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:54,760 I need mercy every day. If I got judge, I'd be dead in a 445 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:57,960 second. God give me mercy. 446 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:00,920 Help me not to say that again. Help me not to do what I just 447 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:02,920 did. Help me not to think that God 448 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:06,520 give me mercy when we are deeply in need. 449 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:11,160 It was young John the disciple back a few years you remember, 450 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:14,920 who was the lone disciple found looking on at the foot of the 451 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:18,920 cross at Calvary when Jesus was crucified. 452 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:22,960 He was young John who witnessed first hand the Roman soldiers 453 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:28,640 playing and gambling for for Jesus seamless garment all that 454 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:36,040 he owed, owned. But now an old frail John sees 455 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:41,440 Jesus his and our High Priest, our Lord and Saviour, but this 456 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:45,200 time he's glorified and robed in the priestly garments. 457 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:50,280 It says his head and hair were white like wool, as white as 458 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:53,720 snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire. 459 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:59,440 Jesus hair and head were white like wool, revealing to us and 460 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:04,360 representing Christ's absolute holiness, His purity. 461 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:09,560 The prophet Isaiah tells us. Come now, let us reason 462 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,800 together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like 463 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:16,760 scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. 464 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:22,040 Though they are red like Crimson, they shall be as wool. 465 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:27,920 Our sins were Crimson, deep red, and have been made white as snow 466 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:32,760 through God's forgiveness by the substitutionary death of Jesus 467 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:36,240 on Calvary's cross. Our sins are horrific, aren't 468 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:39,160 they? We would never want anyone else 469 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:41,520 to know what we've said and done or thought. 470 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:48,800 Isaiah 53 Jesus was pierced for our rebellion. 471 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:54,680 He was crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be 472 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:58,000 whole. He was whipped so we could be 473 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,720 healed. And his eyes like a flame of 474 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:04,600 fire. Christ's eyes burned like fire. 475 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:10,520 Fire for us as a church and believers also represents now 476 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:14,480 how Jesus evaluates us, weighs us up. 477 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:19,239 He weighs our work and our lives and how they are lived for Him. 478 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:24,600 Now this is not Speaking of judgement over our sins, because 479 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:27,920 Jesus has already taken the judgement upon himself for our 480 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:32,400 sins at Calvary. But it is the judgement of our 481 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:36,880 lives as believers that you and I will see the very eyes of 482 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:40,560 Jesus looking on us. You and I as Christians will 483 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:44,360 stand before the Lord on what's called the Bema seat and there 484 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,080 will face the Lord and he will look at our sight with these 485 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:49,040 eyes. Paul writes about it. 486 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:54,120 For no one can lay any foundation other than one we 487 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:57,560 already have, Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that 488 00:34:57,560 --> 00:35:00,120 foundation may use a variety of materials. 489 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:03,560 How you live your life, gold, silver, jewels, wood, high and 490 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:05,640 straw. But on the Judgement Day, 491 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:11,160 Christian fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has 492 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:14,240 done. The fire will show if a person's 493 00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:17,600 work has any value. Have I been doing things just 494 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:21,040 for myself, or am I actually living for God? 495 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:25,560 Am I serving God as God wants me to, or am I doing God my way? 496 00:35:25,680 --> 00:35:28,400 Because if you're doing God your way, when you stand before God 497 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:33,840 and say, Oh God, look what I've done, I wouldn't stop. 498 00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:40,080 But when you've done what he has asked you to do, gold, precious 499 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:49,200 metals, jewellery. His feet were like fine brass, 500 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:54,960 as if refined in a furnace, and his voice is the sound of many 501 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:58,760 waters. Brass in the Bible is always 502 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:03,000 aligned with judgement in the Scriptures and Christ's voice 503 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:08,960 and his voice is the sound of many waters getting on the beach 504 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:14,280 when the when the the waves are just massive and in Sacred 505 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:17,640 Harbour you and I can hear it at different times where he just 506 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:23,000 that's the voice of God powerful. 507 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:28,880 Why is it described like this? Because this explains Christ's 508 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:33,920 authority, His word, His authority we need to pay 509 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:41,320 attention to. Were you ringing me, Rosemary? 510 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:46,520 I'll get back to you. That's God's voice, Rosemary. 511 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:52,880 God so much. The word of God is Christ's 512 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:55,240 authority. How loud does God's word speak 513 00:36:55,240 --> 00:36:59,400 to you? Is Christ Lord in your life? 514 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:07,120 Is God's word Lord in your life? Is Christ the Lord of your life? 515 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:11,520 It means everything that you have is got in charge of it. 516 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,600 Or do you these these, This is your area, this is your room, 517 00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:16,880 it's locked off. This is what I do. 518 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:22,400 He had on his right hand seven stars out of his mouth when I 519 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:27,280 sharp 2 edged stored and his countenance was like the sun 520 00:37:27,280 --> 00:37:33,200 shining in its strength in Christ's right hand always 521 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:38,080 speaks of strength seven stars in verse 20 will tell us that 522 00:37:38,080 --> 00:37:42,280 these are the messengers to the seven churches and out of 523 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:47,360 Christ's mouth the Lord's mouth A2 edged sword telling us the 524 00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:51,960 power of Christ's word to do what it sets out to do. 525 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:55,320 I want to give you some advice. You may read a lot of Christian 526 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:57,840 books and that nothing wrong with that. 527 00:37:57,840 --> 00:37:59,960 You we can read Bible commentaries, nothing wrong with 528 00:37:59,960 --> 00:38:03,720 that. But you do need to read God's 529 00:38:03,720 --> 00:38:07,400 word. You can't have one for the 530 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:09,120 other. You need God's word because it 531 00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:15,480 is God's word alone that penetrates into our hearts, that 532 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:21,040 divides our soul, the Spirit. It's God's word as you read it 533 00:38:21,240 --> 00:38:24,560 and as you say it to someone. And if you're counselling 534 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:28,760 someone, be careful. Don't give them your opinion. 535 00:38:29,480 --> 00:38:34,320 Read to them the word of God. Let God's word do what it does. 536 00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:39,960 Isaiah 5510 and 11 My word shall go forth from me, and it shall, 537 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:41,680 and it shall do what I sent it to do. 538 00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:48,920 It shall not return to me void. God's word is sharper than to 539 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:52,200 any 2 edged sword. You need to know it, you need to 540 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:55,080 read it, you need to speak it, and you need to hear it. 541 00:38:56,600 --> 00:39:02,200 The appearance of Jesus to John was so bright and so impacting 542 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:09,360 that he could not stand before him, reminding us of when Jesus 543 00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:13,720 appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus before it became Paul. 544 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:17,200 What happened? It's so dazzled Saul. 545 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:20,280 He's knocked off his donkey, can't see, He's blinded. 546 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:25,720 Lord, what would you have me do? Same thing here. 547 00:39:25,720 --> 00:39:29,080 The same Jesus, dazzling in all his glory. 548 00:39:29,720 --> 00:39:35,200 He dazzles John, causes John to fall at Christ's feet as though 549 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:39,680 he were dead. It says Now being a 90 year old 550 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:46,840 guy, that's easy to do. It was the holiness of God. 551 00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:51,240 We don't hear about that now. The holiness of God. 552 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:56,080 Remember, John had known Jesus. He had lived and walked with him 553 00:39:56,360 --> 00:39:59,280 intimately for at least three years. 554 00:40:00,240 --> 00:40:02,520 No one was closer to Jesus than John. 555 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:07,520 He was the disciple who at the Last Supper evening, remember, 556 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:11,400 sat next to Jesus and rolled his head over and had his head on 557 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:15,760 Jesus chest. But we don't see John speaking 558 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:23,840 irreverently, mate. Casually high fiving Jesus. 559 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:28,600 Great to see you man calling him by a nickname. 560 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:33,280 Some believers today speak as if Jesus was their mate. 561 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:39,960 This passage penned by John magnifies the holiness of God. 562 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:46,480 If this vision of Jesus caused John, who knew Jesus so well, to 563 00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:52,400 collapse as if dead, what then should be yours and my response 564 00:40:52,720 --> 00:40:53,960 today? Church? 565 00:40:56,280 --> 00:41:01,280 Now we need not fear Christ in terror, no, but we and our 566 00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:07,280 children also must reverence Him in His Holiness. 567 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:11,560 This is why we ask you not to move around during the service, 568 00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:16,680 not because we just want to be that way, which I believe that 569 00:41:16,680 --> 00:41:20,320 moving and jostling around you see in churches is not treating 570 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:23,960 the word of God or being reverent to God or worshipping 571 00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:26,360 him with the reverence he deserves. 572 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:33,040 John is laying face down at Jesus feet and Jesus now 573 00:41:33,040 --> 00:41:37,720 lovingly touches the old disciples shoulder and says to 574 00:41:37,720 --> 00:41:42,920 him, look what he says. John, don't be afraid. 575 00:41:44,080 --> 00:41:47,160 Go through the Bible. I did it one time through all 576 00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:49,520 the God. Just go through the gospels and 577 00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:53,560 underline this. Read through speed, read every 578 00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:57,040 time Jesus said to his disciples, do not be afraid. 579 00:41:57,520 --> 00:41:59,320 You know why he says it over and over and over? 580 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:01,720 Because you and I are always afraid. 581 00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:06,600 We're afraid of this. We're afraid of that, this each 582 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:08,400 and every one of us. We have these phobias. 583 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:10,000 We won't tell anyone what they are. 584 00:42:10,800 --> 00:42:12,120 We're afraid. Oh, what if I do the wrong 585 00:42:12,120 --> 00:42:13,520 thing? What if I if I said this? 586 00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:15,040 What if, what if they laugh at me? 587 00:42:15,040 --> 00:42:17,840 What if I, what if, what if we're afraid? 588 00:42:22,280 --> 00:42:27,240 Jesus says to John here the word of God, do not be afraid. 589 00:42:27,240 --> 00:42:33,600 Why? He says, I have the keys of 590 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:37,840 Hades and death. Death is what happens to the 591 00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:43,920 body, and Hades is the place to where the body goes in the sense 592 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:49,480 of and the rich man, the Lazarus, go down as a great 593 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:51,200 divide. Jesus tells the story. 594 00:42:52,280 --> 00:42:55,240 The rich man who just blown it all didn't bother with God. 595 00:42:55,240 --> 00:42:57,640 He's on one side. There's a great divide on the 596 00:42:57,640 --> 00:43:00,760 other side as Lazarus. He's comforted by Abraham and 597 00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:07,240 Abraham's bosom, that place where the dead go now and they 598 00:43:07,240 --> 00:43:10,680 await the second resurrection. That's Hades. 599 00:43:12,560 --> 00:43:15,280 On one side, it's been empty because Jesus tells us, 600 00:43:15,960 --> 00:43:19,800 descended into hell, took all those because they needed to 601 00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:23,520 seek Christ, that those have been held captive by death, took 602 00:43:23,520 --> 00:43:26,840 them to be with the Lord. But on the other side, still on, 603 00:43:26,840 --> 00:43:30,440 each time someone dies who's not a believer, that's where they 604 00:43:30,440 --> 00:43:33,640 go. Well, it tells us in the Book of 605 00:43:33,840 --> 00:43:37,640 Revelation chapter 20 that both death, because there's no more 606 00:43:37,640 --> 00:43:42,760 death in heaven, and Hades, the place where they did go, they're 607 00:43:42,760 --> 00:43:46,120 going to be cast into the lake of fire, no longer to exist. 608 00:43:46,280 --> 00:43:50,320 Revelation 2014. Jesus says, hey, John, I cut the 609 00:43:50,320 --> 00:43:53,520 keys. You never tried to get in 610 00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:54,880 somewhere. You need something and someone 611 00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:58,600 says got the key. Hey, it's got the keys. 612 00:43:58,600 --> 00:44:03,360 Jesus says I'm in control of everything. 613 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:08,560 In other words, Jesus reminds John and you and I today that he 614 00:44:08,560 --> 00:44:13,000 is in control of everything. He conquered our greatest enemy. 615 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:15,480 What is a man's greatest enemy? Fear of death. 616 00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:20,280 Everyone out there in the world, their greatest fear is dying. 617 00:44:20,480 --> 00:44:27,440 That's why they're Botoxing, Jimming and trying to, you know, 618 00:44:27,960 --> 00:44:32,840 paint themselves. They look orange and they want 619 00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:35,680 to live to 100. And you see these people, you 620 00:44:35,680 --> 00:44:44,200 go, that's not a real good look and I'm fit. 621 00:44:44,240 --> 00:44:52,280 No, no, I want a new body because this one's worn out and 622 00:44:52,280 --> 00:44:55,960 God's going to give me a body created by him that's going to 623 00:44:55,960 --> 00:45:00,400 be absolutely perfect. He conquered our greatest enemy. 624 00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:02,120 Death and the sting of the grave. 625 00:45:02,640 --> 00:45:05,760 He lives forever more. Jesus says he has the keys. 626 00:45:05,960 --> 00:45:09,320 He gives us eternal life. For God so loved the world that 627 00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:11,920 he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him 628 00:45:11,920 --> 00:45:15,800 should not perish, be separated from him, but have eternal life, 629 00:45:15,960 --> 00:45:19,040 but will always be with him. So he's going to walk with you 630 00:45:19,240 --> 00:45:22,200 forever and ever and ever. This walk that he's on with you 631 00:45:22,200 --> 00:45:25,080 now, it's never ending. I I love that. 632 00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:29,680 And so we need not fear anything. 633 00:45:30,680 --> 00:45:37,000 Albanese, Penny Wong, don't fear them. 634 00:45:40,320 --> 00:45:45,760 On John 418, there is No Fear and love, but perfect love casts 635 00:45:45,760 --> 00:45:48,280 out fear because fear involves torment. 636 00:45:49,280 --> 00:45:52,200 But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 637 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:59,240 This morning as we wrap this up, whatever might be bringing fear 638 00:45:59,240 --> 00:46:01,920 into your heart today. And if you look at the world, 639 00:46:01,920 --> 00:46:05,200 man, it's a terrifying world. Another machete attack in 640 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:10,160 Melbourne, more anti semitism. You know, they've they've 641 00:46:10,160 --> 00:46:16,640 blocked Jewish influencer for coming into Israel, blocked his 642 00:46:16,680 --> 00:46:18,360 visa. Australia has blocked his visa. 643 00:46:19,040 --> 00:46:25,480 Anyone else can come. Whatever things from your past 644 00:46:27,440 --> 00:46:32,480 that are bringing fear into your heart, whatever things that are 645 00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:37,120 problems that you are fearful of today, right now, and whatever 646 00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:42,680 concerns you're fearful of for your future, we can cast all our 647 00:46:42,680 --> 00:46:45,640 cares on Him, for He cares for us. 648 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:53,560 Peter tells us Jesus places his hand on your shoulder this 649 00:46:53,560 --> 00:47:01,560 morning, just as he did with John, and he says to you, I'd be 650 00:47:01,560 --> 00:47:03,520 afraid. Isn't that great? 651 00:47:05,000 --> 00:47:10,920 Don't be afraid. How Jesus appeared to old John 652 00:47:10,920 --> 00:47:15,200 must have been so wonderful for John personally, don't you think 653 00:47:15,800 --> 00:47:21,120 alone, frail in age. The last disciple he'd been 654 00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:24,320 thinking was Patmos, to be where he would die alone. 655 00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:28,920 Is this it forgotten? Then he gets this, the greatest 656 00:47:28,920 --> 00:47:34,120 prophecy ever written. John says this prophecy, it's 657 00:47:34,200 --> 00:47:38,440 authentic, He's coming. Are you ready? 658 00:47:39,320 --> 00:47:41,880 Are you ready for the coming of the Lord? 659 00:47:42,400 --> 00:47:48,200 Because the world is about to go into this area here and Jesus 660 00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:52,760 said it's never seen anything or experienced anything like this 661 00:47:53,480 --> 00:47:55,840 ever before. Except those days. 662 00:47:55,840 --> 00:47:58,640 Be short. Even the very elect wouldn't 663 00:47:58,640 --> 00:47:59,040 make it.