1 00:00:02,300 --> 00:00:03,800 Awesome. How are you doing Crossing 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:04,800 Church? Are you doing okay? 3 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,900 Today. It's good to be in the house of 4 00:00:07,900 --> 00:00:10,300 the Lord, for the people, the Lord in the presence of the 5 00:00:10,300 --> 00:00:13,900 Lord, because he's here, he promised that he would be here 6 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:15,700 with us. I want to welcome all of our 7 00:00:15,700 --> 00:00:19,400 campuses joining together with us all across this region. 8 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,100 If you are inside her online, we are so thankful for each and 9 00:00:23,100 --> 00:00:29,100 every one of you as well. And we are still in Camp season, 10 00:00:29,100 --> 00:00:32,000 got done with Fourth and fifth grade Camp. 11 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:38,000 Last week I was I was there and I was in the barn where below is 12 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:45,700 the the men's dorms and went into the bathroom and to do what 13 00:00:45,700 --> 00:00:50,500 you do in the bathroom and they're also showers in there 14 00:00:50,500 --> 00:00:56,800 and I could hear one of the fourth or fifth graders in the 15 00:00:56,808 --> 00:00:59,600 shower singing. Get up, get up, get up, get up 16 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:01,500 out of that. That great and I was going to - 17 00:01:01,500 --> 00:01:05,500 that's exactly what it's about. I mean, we're just being able to 18 00:01:05,500 --> 00:01:08,800 plant those truths into the hearts of young people. 19 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,300 Starting this Friday is fused camp. 20 00:01:12,500 --> 00:01:15,700 And you know, how many young people make decisions for Christ 21 00:01:15,700 --> 00:01:19,000 in their junior, high years. And so I want you to be praying 22 00:01:19,300 --> 00:01:21,500 that God would do something incredible. 23 00:01:21,500 --> 00:01:25,500 Miraculous that we could camp coming up, be praying for each 24 00:01:25,500 --> 00:01:28,200 and every one of them. Well, we're in a new series. 25 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,100 For three weeks, it's called the other side. 26 00:01:32,500 --> 00:01:35,900 And we're going to talk about heaven, hell and judgment. 27 00:01:36,700 --> 00:01:39,800 And for some reason, Clayton, wanted to hell in judgment. 28 00:01:39,900 --> 00:01:43,300 I don't know why you going to ask him about that, but that 29 00:01:43,300 --> 00:01:47,400 left me with heaven and I'm excited to preach about heaven 30 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:51,000 today, it's going to be awesome to be able to share that with 31 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:52,500 you today. So, when you're thinking of 32 00:01:52,500 --> 00:01:54,800 Heaven, lot of times people think about death, if you think 33 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:57,600 about funerals because that's where you hear about heaven, 34 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,100 which is kind of sad. That you hear about heaven in 35 00:02:00,100 --> 00:02:03,800 those depressing circumstances, but a remind me of story of a 36 00:02:03,808 --> 00:02:07,200 pastor who was encouraged to do a funeral. 37 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:12,900 It was in a metropolitan area. And a man came in wanted to have 38 00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:16,700 a meeting with the senior pastor about doing the funeral for his 39 00:02:16,700 --> 00:02:19,200 brother. Now the problem was that this 40 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:23,100 man was part of a family of organized crime. 41 00:02:23,900 --> 00:02:28,100 And they were known in the community as just doing horrible 42 00:02:28,100 --> 00:02:32,800 things, terrible things. And as bad as this man that came 43 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,300 in to see the pastor was, his brother was worse. 44 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:39,900 He was the head of the family and he had just died, which I'm 45 00:02:39,900 --> 00:02:44,000 sure a lot of people thought was a blessing and and so this other 46 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,600 brother living brother is trying to find a place to do his 47 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,900 funeral. And so nobody wants to do his 48 00:02:49,900 --> 00:02:51,500 funeral. Because what are you going to 49 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:53,700 say about this guy? I mean, you're going to Preach 50 00:02:53,700 --> 00:02:55,400 him into hell, that's not going to be any fun. 51 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,400 So, nobody wants to do it. So, this guy goes to, this 52 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,900 particular pastor's office and says that he would like for him 53 00:03:01,900 --> 00:03:05,500 to do the funeral. And furthermore, he said, what I 54 00:03:05,500 --> 00:03:08,400 want you to say is that he was a saint. 55 00:03:09,900 --> 00:03:12,700 And the pastor's like, how can you expect me to do that? 56 00:03:12,700 --> 00:03:16,400 I mean, the reputation of this man goes without saying, 57 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,700 everybody knows, I mean, that's just crazy to say that he goes, 58 00:03:19,700 --> 00:03:23,600 listen Pastor if you'll do that. If you'll say he was a saint, I 59 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:29,000 will donate a million dollars to this church. so, the pastor 60 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:33,500 found a way to say, yes, Which tells you about pastors, doesn't 61 00:03:33,500 --> 00:03:37,800 it anyway? He said, okay, I'll do, I'll do 62 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:43,000 the the service and so you know the day came and everybody came 63 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,300 in and everything set up and the flowers and the body and the 64 00:03:46,300 --> 00:03:50,300 casket and the you know, the funeral directors and all of 65 00:03:50,300 --> 00:03:53,200 that. And it came time for the pastor 66 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,700 to get up and he begins to preach and he doesn't hold 67 00:03:56,700 --> 00:03:59,900 anything back. I mean, he preaches about how 68 00:03:59,900 --> 00:04:05,500 terrible the man this was and in the first couple of rows Hisses 69 00:04:05,500 --> 00:04:09,600 the family and you can just see the agitation on their faces, 70 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,600 the anger, especially the brother, like this is not what I 71 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,100 paid for it, and just got worse and worse and worse, and he kept 72 00:04:16,100 --> 00:04:18,200 going. And he culminated the sermon by 73 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,200 saying. But compared to all of you in 74 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,800 the first couple of rows, this man was a saint. 75 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:33,100 Ching. So we just concluded a series in 76 00:04:33,100 --> 00:04:37,700 the Book of Ecclesiastes and in chapter 3 verse 11, it says 77 00:04:37,700 --> 00:04:39,800 something pretty amazing about this. 78 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,400 It says that God has set eternity. 79 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,600 Into the hearts of mankind. I really believe. 80 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,500 That's true. I think there's something inside 81 00:04:49,500 --> 00:04:51,700 every single, one of you that's listening to me, watching me 82 00:04:51,700 --> 00:04:58,000 right now that knows that. That God has set eternity into 83 00:04:58,000 --> 00:04:59,900 your hearts. Like, you know, that this isn't 84 00:04:59,900 --> 00:05:02,300 all there is you know, that there's something more 85 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,100 Something, maybe you can't describe it, you can't quantify 86 00:05:07,100 --> 00:05:08,600 it, but you know that it's there. 87 00:05:09,500 --> 00:05:14,100 But when I was preaching, in West Central Indiana, one of the 88 00:05:14,100 --> 00:05:17,300 elders that church, his brother passed away, and I went to meet 89 00:05:17,300 --> 00:05:20,400 them at the hospital, he had already passed. 90 00:05:20,700 --> 00:05:26,300 And the brother came out of the room where his brother had died. 91 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,400 And he looked at me and he was trying to console himself, or 92 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,200 Comfort himself. And what he said was, you know, 93 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,000 This is just natural, it's just natural. 94 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,700 That Dying is just as natural as being born. 95 00:05:39,700 --> 00:05:42,800 It's just a natural part of life and you know, I wanted to 96 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:47,100 comfort this this elder but inside my heart even though I 97 00:05:47,108 --> 00:05:51,200 didn't say it out loud, I was saying no, it isn't natural. 98 00:05:52,500 --> 00:05:54,700 There was something inside of me that was saying that's just 99 00:05:54,700 --> 00:05:58,300 absolutely not true. As a matter of fact, there is 100 00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:02,600 something terribly unnatural about it. 101 00:06:02,700 --> 00:06:06,900 Those of you that have faced the death of a loved one, a friend, 102 00:06:06,900 --> 00:06:10,000 a family member, you know, that there's something inside of you 103 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,800 that just that just kind of in denial, doesn't want to accept 104 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,200 that saying that, there's something wrong here, something 105 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:18,900 very wrong about it. And you know what? 106 00:06:18,900 --> 00:06:23,000 That idea that thought in your mind is Right thoughts, not a 107 00:06:23,008 --> 00:06:26,500 wrong thought because you weren't made for that. 108 00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:31,100 You are not made for death. You were made for life. 109 00:06:31,300 --> 00:06:35,200 When you think about it, in the Book of Genesis, you are created 110 00:06:35,500 --> 00:06:37,800 in the, in the garden. We were created. 111 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:41,700 Our ancestors were created to be immortal in the garden. 112 00:06:43,100 --> 00:06:47,800 Mortality came into the world because of a curse because of 113 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,800 sin. That's what God Said in the day 114 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:54,300 that you eat of that tree. That was you're not to eat of 115 00:06:54,300 --> 00:06:59,500 you will surely die, you'll be separated from me. that's 116 00:06:59,500 --> 00:07:02,900 recorded in Genesis chapter 3 and it serves as a constant, 117 00:07:02,900 --> 00:07:08,400 reminder reminder to each of us who we have become Immortal to 118 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:13,400 mortal. And so it begs this question 119 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:17,000 about heaven. Now in the secular world, 120 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,300 there's been commentary about that dots of different ways in 121 00:07:21,300 --> 00:07:25,200 music especially and I can think of one song that kind of stands 122 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:29,000 out for me and it's one that John Lennon wrote and some 123 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,000 people would say it was the greatest song he ever wrote. 124 00:07:33,700 --> 00:07:35,200 And it's the song. Imagine. 125 00:07:37,100 --> 00:07:38,700 Now, most of us are familiar with the song. 126 00:07:38,700 --> 00:07:43,000 Imagine? he gets played a lot even today, 127 00:07:43,900 --> 00:07:46,200 but I want you to think of the words, especially the first 128 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:50,200 verse where it says imagine There's no heaven. 129 00:07:53,700 --> 00:07:57,100 It's easy. If you try, no hell below us 130 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:02,800 above us only sky. Now, when I hear that it 131 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,300 actually is very depressing, it's very discouraging to me. 132 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:12,300 He then describes a world that might be reshaped and bring the 133 00:08:12,300 --> 00:08:17,400 realities of what we perceive as Heaven into the world is if you 134 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:22,200 would join him in his effort in creating this worldly Utopia. 135 00:08:22,300 --> 00:08:25,400 But the problem is in, the song is the word. 136 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:28,700 We and as long as we are in the mix, there's going to be a 137 00:08:28,700 --> 00:08:31,200 problem, right? Because we're sinners. 138 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:34,900 Now there's a far lesser known musician. 139 00:08:35,700 --> 00:08:40,700 His name is Bart Millard and he was actually recalling this 140 00:08:40,700 --> 00:08:45,400 destructive upbringing that he had had because of his father 141 00:08:45,500 --> 00:08:48,200 and the reconciliation he had with his father and then his 142 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:51,500 father's death from cancer. But before he died, he was 143 00:08:51,500 --> 00:08:54,300 radically transformed by Jesus Christ. 144 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:58,200 And some of you have seen that movie that I'm describing, but 145 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,600 the song came long before the movie and it has nearly Lee the 146 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:07,700 same name as John Lennon's song. I Can Only Imagine. 147 00:09:09,300 --> 00:09:13,400 And I have to tell you when I hear that song it's a lot more 148 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,400 positive to me than John Lennon's. 149 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:20,000 So I want us to ask ourselves a few questions today about 150 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:21,500 heaven. Okay, here's the first one. 151 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,700 Is it real? Is heaven. 152 00:09:24,700 --> 00:09:27,800 A real place. Is this a fantasy that we just 153 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,600 feed ourselves? Because we're so uncomfortable 154 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:35,800 about our mortality or is it real Well, I would say 155 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,400 absolutely it's real, this is real as God is, it's real, as 156 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,300 Jesus is, it's as real as truth is. 157 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,500 It's a matter of fact, it's mentioned over. 500 times in the 158 00:09:46,500 --> 00:09:50,100 Bible, 50 times, just in the Book of Revelation alone. 159 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:53,600 There were different authors that were actually that actually 160 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:57,300 experienced part of heaven and they wrote about it in your 161 00:09:57,300 --> 00:10:00,500 Bible. Isaiah saw it wrote about it. 162 00:10:00,900 --> 00:10:05,200 The Apostle Paul wrote about it. John wrote about it when the 163 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,600 Apostle Paul saw it. This is how he described it. 164 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,800 Second Corinthians chapter 12 verses 2 to 4. 165 00:10:11,900 --> 00:10:16,100 He said I Know a Man in Christ that's him in the third person. 166 00:10:16,100 --> 00:10:20,500 He's referring to himself who 14 years ago, was caught up to the 167 00:10:20,500 --> 00:10:23,600 third heaven. While it was, whether it was in 168 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,700 the body or out of the body, I do not know. 169 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:30,300 God knows. And I know that this man, 170 00:10:30,300 --> 00:10:32,800 whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know. 171 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,600 God knows was caught up to Paradise. 172 00:10:37,300 --> 00:10:41,700 Listen to this and heard inexpressible things. 173 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,400 Things that no one is permitted to tell. 174 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,400 Wow, that, that just kind of whets the appetite, doesn't it 175 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:50,700 just kind of heightens the mystery. 176 00:10:50,700 --> 00:10:54,300 What did he see? What was incredible that he saw? 177 00:10:54,300 --> 00:10:56,900 Well, we don't have to wonder. That doesn't have to stay a 178 00:10:56,900 --> 00:11:00,900 mystery. Like I said, Isaiah saw it and 179 00:11:00,900 --> 00:11:03,600 John saw it as well and they all wrote about it, we got 180 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:08,000 descriptions of it in the Bible. When Isaiah saw it, he wrote 181 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,400 about it and he talked about the throne room. 182 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:14,400 That was what he saw. It's an Isaiah 61 24. 183 00:11:15,700 --> 00:11:18,700 He writes in the year that King Uzziah died. 184 00:11:18,700 --> 00:11:26,600 I saw the Lord high and exalted Seated on a throne and the train 185 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:31,500 of his robe. Filled the temple above him were 186 00:11:31,500 --> 00:11:35,200 seraphim. Those are a form of angels each 187 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:39,200 with six wings with two Wings, they covered their faces with 188 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:43,400 two, they covered their feet and with two, they were flying. 189 00:11:44,300 --> 00:11:49,100 They were calling to one another holy holy holy is the Lord 190 00:11:49,100 --> 00:11:52,200 Almighty. The whole earth is full of his 191 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,600 glory. The sound of their voices, the 192 00:11:55,600 --> 00:12:01,000 doorposts and thresholds shook in the temple was filled with 193 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:04,700 smoke. Well the picture here is just so 194 00:12:04,700 --> 00:12:07,300 absolutely Beyond us or above us, isn't it? 195 00:12:07,700 --> 00:12:10,600 Wow. It certainly was for Isaiah 196 00:12:10,700 --> 00:12:14,800 because as you continue to read in Isaiah 6, you find out that 197 00:12:15,100 --> 00:12:19,000 that he loses, all of his strength, he realizes that he 198 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:23,100 has no business being there. He feels like he's undone. 199 00:12:24,300 --> 00:12:27,600 And an angel has to actually go through a process to give him 200 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,200 the strength to receive, the Revelation that God is going to 201 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:34,700 give him. Revelation Chapter 4 verses 2 to 202 00:12:34,700 --> 00:12:40,400 6 is even more descriptive John writes at once I was in the 203 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:44,300 spirit and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone 204 00:12:44,300 --> 00:12:48,700 sitting on it and the one who sat there had the appearance of 205 00:12:48,700 --> 00:12:52,600 Jasper and Ruby. So he's described God as 206 00:12:52,608 --> 00:12:59,000 described more in terms of light and color than in physicality a 207 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,900 rainbow that Shone like an emerald in circle. 208 00:13:02,100 --> 00:13:06,100 The throne surrounding the throne were twenty-four other 209 00:13:06,100 --> 00:13:09,200 Thrones and seated on them were 24 Elders. 210 00:13:09,700 --> 00:13:13,100 They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their 211 00:13:13,100 --> 00:13:16,400 heads. And from the throne came flashes 212 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,100 of lightning and Rumblings, and peals of thunder. 213 00:13:19,300 --> 00:13:22,400 And in front of the throne, seven lamps were blasi. 214 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:25,200 And these are the seven spirits of God. 215 00:13:25,900 --> 00:13:29,200 Also, in front of the throne, there was what looked like a sea 216 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:33,000 of glass, clear as Crystal and in the center, and around the 217 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,600 throne were four living creatures. 218 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:40,900 They were covered with eyes, meaning all seeing in front, and 219 00:13:40,900 --> 00:13:46,500 in back, You know, John had to be prepared for this Vision 220 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:49,300 because he had already passed out. 221 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,300 We read that in Revelation, 1 verses 17, and 18. 222 00:13:54,500 --> 00:13:58,500 When he sees Jesus in his exalted glorified form, he 223 00:13:58,500 --> 00:14:04,300 writes, when I saw him, I fell at his feet as though, dead. 224 00:14:05,500 --> 00:14:08,800 And then he placed his right hand on me and said, do not be 225 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:12,700 afraid. I'm the first and the last I'm 226 00:14:12,700 --> 00:14:14,700 the living one. I was dead. 227 00:14:14,700 --> 00:14:19,400 And now look, I am alive forever and ever and I hold the keys of 228 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:25,000 death and Hades. Wow, you know, Jesus and John 229 00:14:25,300 --> 00:14:28,000 during that, three years of Jesus Ministry, they were best 230 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,600 friends. And in heaven, John doesn't even 231 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,300 recognize him. He's so glorified. 232 00:14:35,700 --> 00:14:37,700 He has to identify himself to John. 233 00:14:39,500 --> 00:14:46,000 Is heaven real you bet? What's it like in that the next 234 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,200 question? What's heaven like? 235 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:53,400 You know, Jesus contemplating this on the eve of his death. 236 00:14:54,700 --> 00:14:57,500 Celebrating Passover with his disciples. 237 00:14:57,900 --> 00:15:01,500 He says these words in John 14 to 24 24. 238 00:15:01,500 --> 00:15:05,700 He says my father's house has many rooms. 239 00:15:06,500 --> 00:15:10,300 If that were not. So would I have told you that 240 00:15:10,300 --> 00:15:14,400 I'm going to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a 241 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:16,500 place for you, I will come back and take you with me. 242 00:15:16,500 --> 00:15:22,500 That you also may be where I am now that's even hard for me to 243 00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:27,100 say because I memorized it in the King James version and I 244 00:15:27,100 --> 00:15:30,300 still say that in funerals, it goes like this. 245 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:35,300 In my father's house are many mansions if it were not. 246 00:15:35,300 --> 00:15:38,100 So I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I 247 00:15:38,100 --> 00:15:40,700 go and prepare a place for you, I will come again. 248 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,800 And receive you to myself that where I am, there you may be 249 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:48,500 also You see the difference in those two passages of scriptures 250 00:15:48,500 --> 00:15:51,800 in their translation? Don't you like the King? 251 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:53,400 James Vetter. Wouldn't you rather have a 252 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:55,200 mansion than a room? Come on. 253 00:15:56,700 --> 00:16:00,600 Many mansions, and all of a sudden, I get demoted to a room. 254 00:16:02,100 --> 00:16:04,200 What is this like a condo and apartment? 255 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:08,200 I don't know, kind of bugs me. Well, maybe it's because we 256 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:12,200 don't understand the culture of the time in Israel and how 257 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:17,800 people lived during that time. Jesus said, you know, the place 258 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:20,400 where I'm going. Well, if you ever travel to 259 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:26,000 Israel and you go to the hometown of Jesus, that would be 260 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:30,500 Capernaum. You'll see the ruins of all of 261 00:16:30,508 --> 00:16:33,900 these buildings and they're all kind of connected and it's 262 00:16:34,100 --> 00:16:36,800 strange to look at. He kind of Wonder like to 263 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,300 picture what kind of a building was this? 264 00:16:39,300 --> 00:16:43,300 Well, it's what archaeologists call an insula. 265 00:16:44,300 --> 00:16:48,000 Now, what an insulin is is a building that the patriarch of 266 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:52,400 the family built as far back as the family live there. 267 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:59,000 There was someone who built a house and then as many sons as 268 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:04,800 that patriarch had, when they would be betrothed to a 269 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,599 bride-to-be, they would come back and they would add on to 270 00:17:08,599 --> 00:17:11,800 their father's house, they would basically build their home 271 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:16,000 attached to the father's home. And you can imagine after 272 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,500 generation after generation after generation, these things 273 00:17:19,500 --> 00:17:22,300 would expand, and they would get bigger and bigger and bigger, 274 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,900 because everyone in the family live together, some of your 275 00:17:25,900 --> 00:17:28,600 going that's really awesome. Some of your going that freaks 276 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:32,100 me out. I know that, but that was the 277 00:17:32,100 --> 00:17:34,900 culture. So when Jesus says in my 278 00:17:34,900 --> 00:17:39,500 father's house are many rooms, They were understanding what he 279 00:17:39,500 --> 00:17:42,400 was saying and when he said, I go to prepare a place for you, 280 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,300 he was using wedding language identifying himself as a 281 00:17:45,308 --> 00:17:48,300 bridegroom, coming back for his bride. 282 00:17:48,300 --> 00:17:52,700 After the work was done, you see, Jesus isn't describing many 283 00:17:52,700 --> 00:17:55,800 mansions. He's describing a single mansion 284 00:17:56,100 --> 00:17:58,600 that has enough room for everyone. 285 00:18:01,700 --> 00:18:06,300 That's not so bad. God would rather not live with 286 00:18:06,300 --> 00:18:08,400 you in the neighborhood down the street. 287 00:18:08,700 --> 00:18:15,100 He wants you to be in his house with him when the Apostle Paul 288 00:18:15,100 --> 00:18:17,200 talks about living on Earth. And I know some of you have some 289 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,700 pretty nice houses, but when Paul talks about living on 290 00:18:20,700 --> 00:18:23,500 Earth, he describes our dwelling as a tent. 291 00:18:24,500 --> 00:18:27,700 And the reason he calls it a tent is because it's temporary 292 00:18:28,100 --> 00:18:31,300 everything on Earth is very temporary. 293 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,100 No, I don't want a mistake a tent for my eternal home. 294 00:18:36,300 --> 00:18:38,600 But that's what we do when we don't understand that, we're 295 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,300 actually living in our father's house. 296 00:18:42,100 --> 00:18:46,300 You know, when, when God was dwelling with mankind on Earth 297 00:18:46,300 --> 00:18:50,100 in the Old Testament, he commissioned the building of a 298 00:18:50,100 --> 00:18:54,800 tent called The Tabernacle that was the temple. 299 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:58,700 It was designed to be put away rolled up carried somewhere else 300 00:18:58,700 --> 00:19:03,300 set back up because it was never supposed to be permanent just a 301 00:19:03,300 --> 00:19:06,700 shadowy image of what is in heaven. 302 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,900 Just a temporary place where God would dwell with his people, but 303 00:19:10,900 --> 00:19:14,300 when we talk about heaven, we're talking about eternal place. 304 00:19:15,700 --> 00:19:18,900 You know Abraham the patriarch lived in tents, his whole life 305 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:24,200 and in Hebrews chapter 11, he said that he was content to live 306 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:28,800 in tents because he was looking for something greater a building 307 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:32,500 with foundations. He said, whose architect and 308 00:19:32,500 --> 00:19:36,400 Builder is God. Now, when we get into God's 309 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:40,400 word, we get the opportunity to see what Jesus has been working 310 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:44,000 on. Remember, The Bible says that 311 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,300 nothing that was made was made without Jesus. 312 00:19:47,300 --> 00:19:49,700 He was responsible for what everything that was made. 313 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:53,600 So it took him six days to create this world, right? 314 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,200 He's been working on your house. 2,000 years. 315 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:03,600 You think about that ever since he ascended into heaven, and 316 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:07,400 this is the permanent home for us to dwell in together. 317 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,100 One of the beautiful things and of course there's so many 318 00:20:11,100 --> 00:20:13,000 beautiful things on this earth, right? 319 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:17,000 That we Marvel at when we see them the whether it's animals or 320 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,500 plants or trees or sunsets or whatever. 321 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:25,400 Even what God has shown Us. In this cursed world is pretty 322 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:30,500 incredible but in heaven, you are part of the architecture. 323 00:20:31,300 --> 00:20:34,400 You are. How is that possible? 324 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:39,600 I mean, it's made for you. It's an incredible description 325 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:44,000 that how God puts everything together and we read it in 326 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:49,400 Revelation chapter 1 verses 1 to 5, he says and then I saw a new 327 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:53,000 Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth 328 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:57,500 had passed away and there was no longer any sea and I saw the 329 00:20:57,500 --> 00:21:00,800 holy city. The New Jerusalem coming down 330 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:05,000 out of Heaven, from God. Prepared, as a bride beautifully 331 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:10,100 dressed for her husband. And then I heard a loud voice 332 00:21:10,100 --> 00:21:14,500 from the throne saying now, the dwelling of God is with Mankind 333 00:21:14,500 --> 00:21:17,800 and he'll live with them. They will be his people and God 334 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:21,600 himself will be with them and be their God and he will wipe every 335 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,900 tear from their eyes and they'll be no more death or Mourning or 336 00:21:24,900 --> 00:21:31,700 crying or pain for the old Order of Things has passed away. and 337 00:21:31,700 --> 00:21:35,500 he was Seated on the throne said, I am making everything new 338 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:41,500 And he said, write this down for these words are trustworthy and 339 00:21:41,500 --> 00:21:46,300 true. As beautiful as a place can be. 340 00:21:46,300 --> 00:21:50,000 When we think about the architecture of the building 341 00:21:50,700 --> 00:21:56,300 that God describes through John in the Book of Revelation. 342 00:21:56,700 --> 00:22:00,400 It's still not a home, it's just a place. 343 00:22:01,300 --> 00:22:04,600 What makes it a home is when people dwell in it. 344 00:22:05,900 --> 00:22:08,700 And that's part of you being part of the architecture. 345 00:22:08,700 --> 00:22:14,200 Along with God, you know, here at the 48th Street location. 346 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:16,900 Other locations. We have a baptistery at our 347 00:22:16,900 --> 00:22:20,900 baptistry over here. There is a like an artistic 348 00:22:20,900 --> 00:22:25,500 depiction of stones, kind of in the air and you can see that if 349 00:22:25,500 --> 00:22:29,600 they were to be pushed down that they would complete a wall. 350 00:22:29,900 --> 00:22:31,800 That's what we see over here to my ride. 351 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,000 And there's a scripture there and there's over 60 scriptures 352 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:40,100 about baptism in the Bible. But we chose the different 353 00:22:40,100 --> 00:22:43,700 scripture for that wall. First Peter chapter 2 verses 4 354 00:22:43,700 --> 00:22:47,400 and 5. Because it says this as you come 355 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:51,300 to him, the living Stone rejected by humans but chosen by 356 00:22:51,300 --> 00:22:58,000 God and precious to him, you also like living stones are 357 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,500 being built into a spiritual house. 358 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:07,500 You're part of the architecture of Heaven to be a holy 359 00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:10,200 priesthood. Offering spiritual sacrifices 360 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:13,300 acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 361 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:18,200 To me, it's the best and it's the most personal description 362 00:23:18,500 --> 00:23:22,300 that really ties everything together in the word of God. 363 00:23:22,300 --> 00:23:27,100 This is the culmination of what Jesus said in Matthew 16:18. 364 00:23:27,300 --> 00:23:30,900 When he told his Apostles Upon This Rock, I will build my 365 00:23:30,900 --> 00:23:34,800 church and the Gates of Hell will not Prevail against it or 366 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:40,600 overcoming It's a beautiful picture but it's still kind of 367 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:44,300 up here kind of up in the clouds a little bit, you know, a little 368 00:23:44,300 --> 00:23:47,500 hard to grasp. So maybe some of you are asking 369 00:23:47,500 --> 00:23:50,500 a third question today. And that is, can you, can you be 370 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:53,800 more specific? Can you give me something a 371 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,700 little bit more concrete to understand it a little bit 372 00:23:56,700 --> 00:23:58,200 better? No problem. 373 00:23:58,300 --> 00:24:01,700 The Bible does that we're going to go on and read a little bit 374 00:24:01,700 --> 00:24:05,900 more in Revelation. 21 starting in the second part of verse 9. 375 00:24:06,900 --> 00:24:13,100 Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb, and he 376 00:24:13,100 --> 00:24:16,000 carried me away in the spirit to a mountain, great and high. 377 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:21,600 Showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem coming down out of 378 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:25,200 Heaven from God. It's Shone with the glory of 379 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:29,500 God, and its Brilliance was like that of a very precious Jewel. 380 00:24:30,500 --> 00:24:36,000 Like a Jasper clear as Crystal, it had a great high wall with 381 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,900 Twelve Gates, with twelve Angels at the gates and on the gates 382 00:24:39,900 --> 00:24:42,500 were written. The names of the 12 tribes of 383 00:24:42,500 --> 00:24:45,300 Israel. There were three gates on the 384 00:24:45,300 --> 00:24:48,600 East three on the north three on the south three on the west and 385 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:53,100 the wall of the city, had twelve foundations and on them were the 386 00:24:53,100 --> 00:24:55,900 names of The Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. 387 00:24:56,900 --> 00:25:01,800 Now it goes on to describe this in much greater detail if you 388 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,000 want to read through Revelation 21 but I'm just going to 389 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:06,800 highlight some things. All right? 390 00:25:06,900 --> 00:25:11,700 First of all is described as shining with the glory of God. 391 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:16,000 Now in those earlier descriptions God was he was 392 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:22,900 described more out of light and color than in a physical way. 393 00:25:23,900 --> 00:25:29,400 And it is the Brilliance of the glory of God that gives light to 394 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:33,400 this city. John describes the city when we 395 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:39,400 read further on as a cube. Actually, in the form of a cube. 396 00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:43,900 And there's a measuring Rod where an angel actually measures 397 00:25:43,900 --> 00:25:48,200 the size of it and it's given to us if we convert it to miles, 398 00:25:48,700 --> 00:25:55,800 it's 1,400 miles, wide, 1400, miles, long and 1,400 miles 399 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,900 high. And some of you when we get 400 00:25:59,900 --> 00:26:02,400 finite like that, you're going, is that enough room for 401 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,400 everybody. Can we fit in that? 402 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:11,900 I just encourage you to multiply 1400 by 1400 by 1400. 403 00:26:13,300 --> 00:26:16,400 So I don't know what kind of space I'm going to get how big 404 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,800 is my room. How big is my room in the Inn so 405 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:23,900 well, let's just pretend that it's a mile long and a mile high 406 00:26:23,900 --> 00:26:28,200 and a mile wide. That's pretty big space didn't 407 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:31,300 it? Do you know how many people that 408 00:26:31,300 --> 00:26:36,200 will fit if everybody got a room that big two billion seven 409 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:40,600 hundred and forty-four million? That's plenty of room. 410 00:26:41,100 --> 00:26:45,500 That's all I'm saying. It has high walls which describe 411 00:26:45,500 --> 00:26:50,700 how it is, totally safe, and Totally Secure that God protects 412 00:26:51,300 --> 00:26:54,800 his bride. His people has 12 gates, three 413 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:58,300 on each side. Each one made of a single Pearl. 414 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,900 It says, it's where we get the term Pearly Gates. 415 00:27:01,900 --> 00:27:06,300 If you've ever heard that term before, each one is named has a 416 00:27:06,308 --> 00:27:09,000 name over it for one of the Twelve Tribes. 417 00:27:09,500 --> 00:27:12,300 Israel. And then there's an angel that 418 00:27:12,300 --> 00:27:17,400 stationed keeping guard at each gate, but the gates are open and 419 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,800 they remain open. What does all that mean? 420 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:24,800 Help me to understand that the fact that they're made from a 421 00:27:24,808 --> 00:27:29,800 single Pearl, is a reference to the kingdom of God. 422 00:27:32,100 --> 00:27:36,300 Do you remember the story that Jesus told about the pearl of 423 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:38,700 great price? See, there's only one way you 424 00:27:38,700 --> 00:27:42,300 can enter into the kingdom. It's through the Gospel of 425 00:27:42,300 --> 00:27:45,400 Jesus. That's what he said. 426 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:49,100 In John 14:6, I am the way. And then later on he says no one 427 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:53,700 comes to the father, except through me and then describes 428 00:27:53,700 --> 00:27:57,100 him in the Kingdom as the pearl of great price. 429 00:27:57,300 --> 00:28:00,000 The one that we would give everything else up for to have 430 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:03,500 that one. He describes himself to his 431 00:28:03,500 --> 00:28:08,100 Apostles as the gate for the sheep or the door of the sheep. 432 00:28:08,500 --> 00:28:13,700 The only way into heaven is through Jesus. just like he 433 00:28:13,700 --> 00:28:19,600 said, in John 14, The fact that those Gates face in every 434 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:24,400 direction is a reminder for us that the gospel isn't just for 435 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:30,400 some people, it's for everyone. That the kingdom is open for 436 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:34,000 everyone. They carry the names of the 437 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:38,200 Twelve Tribes of Israel because that is how God chose to bring 438 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:43,000 Jesus into the world. They're guarded with angels 439 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:47,100 because that's happened ever since the Garden of Eden and the 440 00:28:47,100 --> 00:28:52,600 tree of life was guarded by Angels, it has 12 foundations 441 00:28:52,900 --> 00:28:57,100 and each Foundation is named for one of the 12 apostles because 442 00:28:57,100 --> 00:29:01,300 the kingdom is built on the truth that they receive from 443 00:29:01,300 --> 00:29:04,400 Jesus. What they shared with the world, 444 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:07,200 that's what the crossing stands on it. 445 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:11,900 Stands on the foundation of the Apostles or what Acts 2:42 446 00:29:11,900 --> 00:29:16,600 calls, the apostles Doctrine, the old, and the New Testaments 447 00:29:16,700 --> 00:29:21,100 come together in this beautiful architecture, all reminders of 448 00:29:21,100 --> 00:29:26,200 Our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ and even though there's a throne 449 00:29:26,900 --> 00:29:30,000 in this New Jerusalem, there is no Temple. 450 00:29:31,100 --> 00:29:35,300 Because we are the temple of God. 451 00:29:37,500 --> 00:29:42,900 In revelation 22, we begin to get a tour of the inside of the 452 00:29:42,900 --> 00:29:45,500 city. There is a throne in the center 453 00:29:45,500 --> 00:29:49,500 with a river flowing out from it, in all directions, and that 454 00:29:49,500 --> 00:29:52,500 river flows with the Water of Life. 455 00:29:53,500 --> 00:29:56,400 The Bible then goes on to describe that the tree of life 456 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:01,100 has been planted on either side of that River, as it flows from 457 00:30:01,100 --> 00:30:05,600 the throne and it provides fruit for food and leaves and it says, 458 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:10,400 for the healing of Nations. Wow, what an incredible 459 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:15,300 description. Now do you think that John was 460 00:30:15,300 --> 00:30:20,700 like on mushrooms or I mean, or do you believe that it's true? 461 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:24,800 Would God lie to you would he tell you something? 462 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:29,100 That wasn't true. When Jesus said to his disciples 463 00:30:29,100 --> 00:30:32,300 I go to prepare a place for you did he mean it. 464 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:36,100 See that's what's so important that you understand the 465 00:30:36,100 --> 00:30:39,700 substantial truth here. That this is true, this is real. 466 00:30:39,900 --> 00:30:44,200 I want to contrast that to a movie that came out in 2010 467 00:30:44,500 --> 00:30:46,700 called Avatar. How many of you saw the movie 468 00:30:46,700 --> 00:30:49,300 Avatar when it came out. Yeah. 469 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:54,100 And it describes a planet by the name of Pandora and all of these 470 00:30:54,100 --> 00:30:58,100 incredible things that And do you realize and you probably 471 00:30:58,100 --> 00:31:01,700 don't but that moviegoers went to see the movie. 472 00:31:01,700 --> 00:31:06,600 Avatar were so enthralled with what they witnessed that they 473 00:31:07,100 --> 00:31:11,800 became depressed and even suicidal because of their desire 474 00:31:11,900 --> 00:31:19,200 to live on a fictional planet. There was even a website created 475 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:23,400 that provided ways for moviegoers to cope with the 476 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:25,000 depression that they were feeling. 477 00:31:27,500 --> 00:31:30,900 How sad how incredibly sad that people can. 478 00:31:30,900 --> 00:31:35,400 So quickly become hopelessly attached to a fictional Place 479 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:40,600 produced by human imagination and a whole lot of CGI and not 480 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,500 know that there's a very real place beyond their Wildest 481 00:31:43,500 --> 00:31:46,400 Dreams where they could have an eternal home. 482 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:51,700 Last thing I want to share with you last question. 483 00:31:51,900 --> 00:31:54,600 How will I be changed? How would you be changed? 484 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:55,900 Well, I'm going to have a new body. 485 00:31:56,300 --> 00:31:57,200 Thank you. Lord. 486 00:32:00,700 --> 00:32:05,200 The one that I was meant to have before mortality, I'm gonna have 487 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:07,200 a mind to go with it. That's going to be 488 00:32:07,500 --> 00:32:11,100 indestructible and unchangeable, and it will be as unique as I am 489 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,900 and unique. As you are, it'll be free from 490 00:32:14,900 --> 00:32:19,200 the influences of this world. No death, no crying, no 491 00:32:19,300 --> 00:32:22,600 mourning, no pain. I will get to see the people 492 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:27,900 that I love not only redeemed in Jesus, but fully recreated by 493 00:32:27,900 --> 00:32:34,200 him even as I have been. Why do people want to live in a 494 00:32:34,500 --> 00:32:38,600 Pandora and get depressed when they are reminded that it isn't 495 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:41,400 real? Well because down deep, we all 496 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:45,300 know that we were meant for something better. 497 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:52,200 God has set eternity into the hearts and minds of mankind. 498 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:56,400 Why don't we get it? Why don't we latch onto it? 499 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:02,000 Because we are literally saturated in the lower story. 500 00:33:03,900 --> 00:33:06,300 I mean our lives are taken up by it. 501 00:33:06,300 --> 00:33:08,400 Look at what we're arguing about today. 502 00:33:08,900 --> 00:33:13,900 Okay, just right now, what's on the news, What decisions are 503 00:33:13,900 --> 00:33:16,900 coming from the Supreme Court? What issues are you going to be 504 00:33:16,900 --> 00:33:23,100 voting on? police abortion, school choice, 505 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:27,700 guns prayer, racism discrimination Healthcare, 506 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:32,900 vaccines, pandemics depression, social media Church fighting 507 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,800 suicide same-sex marriage, identity issues, housing 508 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:41,700 concerns supply chain issues, inflation, gas prices, school 509 00:33:41,700 --> 00:33:45,400 shootings, debt, fentanyl immigration issues, the 510 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:49,100 illogical debates, Temptation, separation, anxiety, loneliness, 511 00:33:49,300 --> 00:33:54,200 -. None of that exists in the upper 512 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:56,800 story. Not one. 513 00:33:57,700 --> 00:34:04,500 It's all in the lower story. We are all gets so worked up. 514 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:10,400 About things that in heaven have passed away. 515 00:34:12,300 --> 00:34:17,500 Let me tell you what's important right now and I'm going to 516 00:34:17,500 --> 00:34:19,300 encourage you to vote in a minute. 517 00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:28,100 Right now. The gate is open for you, angel 518 00:34:28,100 --> 00:34:33,100 stands guard, making sure it stays open for you in the 519 00:34:33,100 --> 00:34:38,100 Kingdom. You can claim the citizenship 520 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:44,100 that Jesus bought for you. When he died on a cross, not for 521 00:34:44,100 --> 00:34:48,900 his sin, but yours, when he paid your debt and my debt in full, 522 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:51,900 when he was buried in a borrowed, tomb and rose again on 523 00:34:51,900 --> 00:34:55,500 the third day, not only to be alive, but to prove to you that 524 00:34:55,500 --> 00:34:58,300 he could raise you from death to life. 525 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:04,700 To show you. That the things of this Earth 526 00:35:05,500 --> 00:35:10,400 are temporary. But there is an eternal Eternal 527 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:16,400 reality that Waits For You. And even more than that. 528 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:22,600 Jesus Waits For You. Vote. 529 00:35:25,300 --> 00:35:30,800 Vote for Jesus. Vote for Jesus. 530 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:36,800 Is He's Worthy. He earned it. 531 00:35:38,300 --> 00:35:42,000 He paid it all. We're moving to a Time. 532 00:35:52,300 --> 00:35:57,900 I cannot tell you. How much? 533 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:04,300 I would love for you. To have the knowledge of 534 00:36:04,300 --> 00:36:10,800 Eternity in your heart. Of what it is of where it is of 535 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:13,000 who's there and why they're there. 536 00:36:15,300 --> 00:36:18,400 I don't want you to cling onto empty wishes. 537 00:36:21,300 --> 00:36:24,300 And foundationless hopes and dreams. 538 00:36:25,900 --> 00:36:30,900 I want you to be able to sit your foot on the solid rock of 539 00:36:30,900 --> 00:36:35,600 Jesus Christ. And that happens when you come 540 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:39,200 into an intimate, personal relationship with him. 541 00:36:41,500 --> 00:36:47,400 As hard as it may be for us to grasp, the Majesty of heaven, we 542 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:53,000 can grasp a hold of him. and if you've never taken hold of 543 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:59,400 Jesus, And allow him to take, hold of you and Inter in that 544 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:01,300 relationship. That will take you all the way 545 00:37:01,300 --> 00:37:04,900 to and through those Gates into eternity. 546 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:12,800 I invite you today. To accept that invitation. 547 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:17,200 And come to Christ. There's going to be someone 548 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:20,800 right over here by the baptistry, right next to that. 549 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:26,400 Peter scripture chapter 2 verses 4 to 5. 550 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:34,200 Willing to facilitate, what only God can do and that as a living 551 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:37,800 Stone, graft un to his eternal Temple. 552 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:42,100 For his glory, as he raises a mighty Cathedral. 553 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:50,100 For his praise. Nobody is standing in your way 554 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:55,800 because the gates are open except for you. and if we can 555 00:37:55,800 --> 00:38:01,200 just get out of our own way and trust in him, he'll take care of 556 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:05,300 the rest. Many of us here today, we're 557 00:38:05,300 --> 00:38:11,300 Believers in Jesus Christ but don't try to lie to yourself and 558 00:38:11,300 --> 00:38:16,100 think that you aren't affected and infected by this lower story 559 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:19,700 that there's all sorts of things that are swirling around in your 560 00:38:19,700 --> 00:38:23,500 heart and mind right now that are trying to take this Prime 561 00:38:23,500 --> 00:38:28,500 real estate of your heart that belongs solely to Jesus Christ. 562 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:34,500 He tells you don't set your mind on things below, but set your 563 00:38:34,500 --> 00:38:37,700 mind and your heart on things above, where Christ is seated, 564 00:38:37,700 --> 00:38:41,600 at the right hand of God, we spend way too much time talking 565 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:44,700 about down here when we need to be thinking that we're citizens 566 00:38:44,700 --> 00:38:49,200 up there. We've got something waiting for 567 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:52,000 us and someone waiting for us, so much better. 568 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:55,400 And if your burden maybe with, maybe they're your burdens, 569 00:38:55,500 --> 00:38:57,500 maybe there's somebody else's burdens. 570 00:38:57,500 --> 00:39:01,200 But if you feel heavy and weighted down by the situations 571 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:06,100 and circumstances of this life, I encourage you to come up to 572 00:39:06,100 --> 00:39:11,700 these steps, get down on your knees and say, I believe in a 573 00:39:11,700 --> 00:39:20,200 God who can take my burden, I believe in a god. 574 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:23,700 Who is passionate and compassionate? 575 00:39:24,100 --> 00:39:30,900 Loves me knows me. And won't forget me, leave or 576 00:39:30,900 --> 00:39:35,000 forsake me. And if you come down and humble 577 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:40,000 yourself as the twenty-four Elders in heaven, as the angels, 578 00:39:40,100 --> 00:39:44,700 as the four living creatures, you humble yourself before God, 579 00:39:44,700 --> 00:39:48,200 I will guarantee you that when you get up from your knees from 580 00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:50,900 these steps, you will be lighter. 581 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:56,200 Then when you went down onto because that is what God does, 582 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:01,200 would you stand with me? Let's pray in Jesus name. 583 00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:04,800 Heavenly Father we pray right now that there wouldn't be 584 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:08,300 anything to pull us away. Anything to distract our hearts 585 00:40:08,300 --> 00:40:13,200 and Minds from what it is that your Holy Spirit wants to do in 586 00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:14,400 this moment. Help us. 587 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:19,200 Father to have ears that are sensitive to the still small 588 00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:24,800 voice speaking. Telling his children. 589 00:40:25,300 --> 00:40:30,500 Come on home. In Jesus name, amen. 590 00:40:27,900 --> 00:40:30,500 In Jesus name, amen.