1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:02,760 It's wonderful to be here with all of you today. 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,880 We have several of our number that are missing either, and 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,720 prayerfully they're not too ill. But maybe some folks are sick 4 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,520 and unable to be with us, and perhaps others are traveling. 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,960 But we have a wonderful crowd because you are here and it is a 6 00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:21,440 pleasure and a privilege on my part to speak concerning the 7 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:25,160 word of God. I want to tell you in advance, I 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:31,920 have a huge task before me. The subject that I want to talk 9 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:34,880 about this this morning is a very big subject. 10 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,840 So my huge task is this number one, to make everything sound 11 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,240 very simple. So that's very understandable, 12 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,080 like Jesus did so many times. But I'll just tell you, as you 13 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:50,800 know, and you already know this, I'm not Jesus, but I want to 14 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:54,640 talk about a very big subject and make it very presentable in 15 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,320 a way that's understandable and edifying and encouraging and 16 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,840 also in a way that doesn't have me talk too long. 17 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,800 We're continuing our series on the great Sermon on the Mount, 18 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,120 and our text now has come now down to Matthew or Matthew, 19 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,960 Chapter 6 and verse 10. We left off in verse nine last 20 00:01:12,960 --> 00:01:15,160 time. So the title of our lesson as on 21 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:20,840 the screen is This Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done. 22 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,520 Now in verse nine it begins words that are commonly referred 23 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:31,160 to as the Lord's Prayer. But in the Bible, there's 24 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:35,200 nowhere that it says that these are the words called the Lord's 25 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:36,520 Prayer. The Lord never called it His 26 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:38,760 prayer. In fact, if you want to know 27 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,400 what the Lord's Prayer is, you have to go look at a prayer the 28 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,480 Lord prayed. That would be his prayer. 29 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,880 A great example of that is John chapter 17. 30 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,480 So contrary to met perhaps what some people might say, this is 31 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,840 the Lord's Prayer. I'm just saying in advance. 32 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,400 Nowhere in the Bible is it called the Lord's Prayer. 33 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:03,320 What this is, is as follows. Jesus was giving his disciples 34 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,120 while they were still living under the law of Moses, a model 35 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:12,440 prayer or an example on things to pray for before the Kingdom 36 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:14,200 would come. And I'm just going to tell you 37 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,880 right now, some of the things that are found in this model 38 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,520 prayer are very appropriate to pray for today. 39 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:23,640 My question is, and we're going to do our very best to prove 40 00:02:23,640 --> 00:02:26,320 this, the answer to this, and I'll give you the answer in just 41 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,280 a moment later on, but what I want to know is, is it 42 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:34,280 appropriate then for the child of God today to pray your 43 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,600 Kingdom come? And just by the way, when the 44 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,920 phrase says your Kingdom come, it means this. 45 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:45,600 Jesus was saying you pray this when the Kingdom comes, then 46 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:49,080 your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 47 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,480 So whatever he was talking about, he was talking about 48 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,240 something that was going to happen in the lifetime of now. 49 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,080 So is that appropriate? Back to that in just a moment. 50 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,400 Similar words were given by Jesus here to his disciples. 51 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,600 You remember in Luke Chapter 11, the disciples came to Jesus and 52 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:13,480 they said, Lord teach us how to pray like John, meaning John the 53 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,520 baptizer, like John taught his disciples. 54 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,360 So Jesus says, OK, here's a model prayer, here's how you 55 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,920 pray. Pray like this Our Father which 56 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:26,160 art in heaven. Hallow it be your name, your 57 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,640 Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and 58 00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:33,560 so on and so forth. These were not. 59 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,120 And please get this. These were not words to be 60 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:42,560 memorized and recited over and over and over again. 61 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:44,880 Why? What did we learn last time 62 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:46,480 about prayer? Prayer has got to be two things, 63 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:52,280 right? #1 Spontaneous not memorized #2 64 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,280 It's got to come from the heart. We also learned too. 65 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,680 There's a difference between repetition in prayer and a vain 66 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,640 repetition. You could actually say the same 67 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:05,040 words from prayer to prayer virtually. 68 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:07,760 It's not a vain repetition if it comes from the heart. 69 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:13,880 A vain repetition is mindless, meaningless feeling less words 70 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,560 that you've just memorized, and you say them over and over and 71 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:18,920 over and over and over again. That's a vain repetition. 72 00:04:19,959 --> 00:04:22,840 Jesus was not saying memorize these words and recite them. 73 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,080 OK, so let's go back to the Sermon on the Mount. 74 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,160 In the context on the case of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus 75 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:33,640 just taught his lesson about praying and he gave things like 76 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:35,440 this. He said, here's how you don't 77 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,160 pray. I don't want you to pray like 78 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,840 the heathen. In other words, to pray for the 79 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:43,640 wrong motives, praying to be seen of men. 80 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,160 Don't do it for that reason. And then he said, when you pray, 81 00:04:48,280 --> 00:04:51,040 go into your closets. In other words, your private 82 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:52,600 place. And when you pray to God, what's 83 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:54,200 God going to do? He's going to reward you openly. 84 00:04:54,280 --> 00:04:56,800 When you pray in secret. Now, does that mean you can't 85 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:58,480 pray publicly? No. 86 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:00,640 It's just a manner of the motive. 87 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:02,680 That you're praying is what's under consideration. 88 00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:05,880 So when you go into a restaurant, for example, and you 89 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:10,160 pray for your food, wonderful. Do that, somebody may even see 90 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:11,560 you. That's not a problem either. 91 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,600 The problem is when you do things like that only to be seen 92 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:19,960 by men for the praise and glory that comes to you. 93 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:26,000 Jesus says don't do that, OK? After he did that, he gave some 94 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:32,480 principles of proper prayer and he gave 8 examples in this model 95 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,240 prayer. We left off on verse 99 last 96 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,840 time, and I want to go back to verse 9 very briefly because 97 00:05:38,840 --> 00:05:41,560 this sets the tone and I'll tell you I think about this. 98 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,400 I thought about it for two weeks after I preached it. 99 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:44,520 I've been thinking about this morning. 100 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:50,120 This is amazing and I love this and it's the concept about our 101 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:55,720 relationship with God, Jesus says in verse 9 In this manner, 102 00:05:55,720 --> 00:06:00,960 therefore pray our Father. The word Father there represents 103 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:05,160 God's paternity, but it represents God's paternal aspect 104 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,280 in two ways. So number one, God is the 105 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,400 almighty Creator of everything He is. 106 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:15,720 He is the Father. We know that, but Jesus says 107 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,040 when you pray, he is not just the father. 108 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:23,600 Please get this He's your father. 109 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:37,000 That gets me. He's our father, Paul said. 110 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:41,240 In Galatians 4 and verse six, we cry ABBA, father. 111 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,520 And the word ABBA is an Aramaic term of endearment used by 112 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:49,680 children for their father. I use this example. 113 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:51,960 Last time I said I am a father and everybody knows me. 114 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,480 I'm a father because I have kids, and this would apply to 115 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:57,640 anybody that's got kids, right? You got kids. 116 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:04,080 You're a father if you're a man, OK, But to Taylor and Tanner, 117 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:11,880 I'm dead. The word ABBA in Galatians 4 and 118 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,240 six is an Aramaic term of endearment. 119 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:19,480 It actually means daddy. That's the relationship you have 120 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,680 with your father. So when you pray to him, 121 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:25,640 recognize him in his paternal aspect, recognize him as the 122 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:29,280 almighty Father, but also recognize him as your father 123 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,320 when you speak to him. But keep all that in reverence 124 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:33,840 and respect, because where is he? 125 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:38,560 He's in the lofty position of heaven, and when God is in that 126 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,000 lofty position of heaven, we treat him as such. 127 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:45,400 Therefore, hallowed be of your name, even the name of God is to 128 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:47,640 be praised. Even his name. 129 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,360 Not just God himself, but even his name. 130 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:55,480 That's the relationship that we have with God. 131 00:07:55,520 --> 00:08:00,160 OK? Now in verse 10, Jesus gives 132 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:04,720 examples of things to pray for while they were living under the 133 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,200 law of Moses and before the Kingdom would come. 134 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:13,480 And the first thing he says is your Kingdom come, In other 135 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,600 words, when your Kingdom comes. A couple of historical things 136 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,240 here. Jewish people were very, very 137 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:23,160 much understood the Kingdom concept. 138 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:27,920 In fact, their heritage was rich in messianic expectation. 139 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:29,960 Absolutely. And by the way, you know, it's 140 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:35,679 really sad to me. What's really sad to me is the 141 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,520 Jewish faith has always believed in a Messiah. 142 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:41,880 They always believed in a Messiah. 143 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:47,360 They misunderstood the Messianic Kingdom and then they rejected 144 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,560 the one that God sent. God sent Jesus, and they 145 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:55,600 rejected him as a whole. Many Jewish people by blood 146 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:57,320 though, came to Jesus. I'm not talking about every 147 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,120 Jewish person. I'm talking about, as a whole, 148 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,160 the Jewish faith rejecting Jesus. 149 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,560 They misunderstood the Messiah that was given by God and they 150 00:09:05,560 --> 00:09:07,160 misunderstood the Messianic Kingdom. 151 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,840 But their heritage was rich in Messianic expectations. 152 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,440 Do you remember in Matthew Chapter 11 and verse three? 153 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:19,240 I think. I think John's question depicted 154 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:24,080 their longing desire for two things, a king and a Kingdom. 155 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:26,640 Here was the problem, their misunderstanding. 156 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,640 They look for a king and a Kingdom that would dispel the 157 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,880 darkness of Roman occupation. I don't have time to go into 158 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:34,160 that. We've already preached on that. 159 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,920 We're talking about the triumphal entry into Jerusalem 160 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:38,800 and all that. When they said hosanna to the 161 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:42,680 highest in the word, Hosanna means is from from the Hebrew 162 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:46,160 Hoshaya Nah, meaning God save us, right? 163 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:48,320 They were saying God save us, but they thought they were 164 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,280 saving us from Roman oppression and Jesus came to save him from 165 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:54,800 sin. You remember the mother of 166 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,360 Zebedee? Sons remember her. 167 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,320 She comes to Jesus, and she kneels down before him, and she 168 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:06,920 asks him this Grant that these two sons, still misunderstanding 169 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:10,600 the messianic Kingdom, grant that these two sons of mine may 170 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,640 sit one on your right hand and the other on the left in your 171 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,560 Kingdom. By the way, those two sons were 172 00:10:17,560 --> 00:10:20,440 James and John. They were those two sons of 173 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,600 Zebedee. You remember when they came to 174 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:25,320 Jesus too? And they asked Jesus, they said 175 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:27,720 we want you. And I don't know, I've tried to 176 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:29,680 wrap my head around this. The way that they phrased it. 177 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:33,920 Tell us, they said, we want you, Lord, to do for us whatever we 178 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,840 ask, OK. And. 179 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:43,520 And here's Jesus, the master, so patient, he says, what do you 180 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:49,320 want me to do for you then? This grant us that we may sit 181 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,360 one on your right hand and the other on the left in your glory. 182 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:57,640 OK, here's the problem. Unfortunately, the Jewish people 183 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,640 as a whole misunderstood the nature of the Messiah's reign 184 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:02,800 because they thought it was going to be physical. 185 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:04,400 And I'm going to make a statement now and I don't want 186 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:06,680 you to forget it. Please get this next statement. 187 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:16,840 The Kingdom is not physical. The Kingdom is spiritual. 188 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:27,920 Bold statement #3 And the reign of Jesus Christ is in US. 189 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:32,920 It's in us. It's in our hearts. 190 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,080 How do I know that? Let's just look at what Jesus 191 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,760 said. Nor will they say see here or 192 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:42,320 see. Therefore, indeed, get this. 193 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:46,000 The Kingdom of God is within you. 194 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:52,520 It is a spiritual Kingdom. It is in US. 195 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,680 Furthermore, you remember when Jesus stood before Pilate and 196 00:11:56,680 --> 00:11:59,000 Jesus said this. He said, my Kingdom is not of 197 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:00,480 this world. He said this. 198 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,320 If my Kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight 199 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:05,360 so that I should not be delivered to the Jews. 200 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:08,200 But now my Kingdom is not from here. 201 00:12:08,680 --> 00:12:15,080 OK, so let's go back both. John the Baptizer, who, by the 202 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:16,440 way, was the forerunner of Jesus. 203 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:17,800 He was six months older than Jesus. 204 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:22,200 He was Jesus. Cousin John the Baptizer went 205 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,520 ahead of Jesus and he said what he said. 206 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:32,680 The Kingdom is at hand. I remember my father-in-law used 207 00:12:32,680 --> 00:12:36,320 to sit right there. My father-in-law used to teach 208 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:38,520 it like this. He used to say it at hand means 209 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,040 it was so close. You could see it, you can touch 210 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:43,080 it. It's there. 211 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:47,560 That's what at hand means. You know what Jesus said. 212 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:50,760 Not only did Jesus also say the Kingdom is at hand, he took it a 213 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,200 step further. He said this that the Kingdom 214 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:55,600 was going to come. Very important. 215 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,520 Please stay with me. The Kingdom was going to come in 216 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:03,280 the lifetime of the apostles. That's number one Notice he said 217 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,480 to them. Assuredly I say to you that 218 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:09,880 there are some standing here who will not taste death till they 219 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:17,360 see the Kingdom of God present with power, the Kingdom of God 220 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:21,920 present with power. OK, In Matthew chapter 16, a 221 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,600 very familiar passage, we know that verses 13 through 20 we 222 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,640 find that the Kingdom is going to manifest itself on earth 223 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:30,400 through the establishment of the church. 224 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,200 Two things are are appropriate here. 225 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,600 Two things are significant. It's going to happen in the 226 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,280 lifetime of the apostles and through the establishment of the 227 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:38,440 church. Hang on to that thought. 228 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:40,760 Much more on that. Let's back up though. 229 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:43,200 It's going to come with power, as Jesus said. 230 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:48,280 So let's back up after Jesus died on the cross, after he was 231 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:54,880 buried, after he rose from the dead, he spends 40 days with his 232 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:57,200 disciples, right? Guess what? 233 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:02,480 During that 40 day period, the Kingdom had not yet come yet in 234 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:06,480 Luke chapter 24 and verse 49, Behold, I send the promise of my 235 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,640 father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you 236 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:12,600 are endued with power from on high. 237 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:17,360 Let's go to Acts chapter one, beginning in verse 6. 238 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:22,800 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, 239 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:27,760 saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the Kingdom to 240 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,000 Israel? Do you know why the Kingdom is 241 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:34,360 not yet come? And he said to them, it is not 242 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:36,840 for you to know the times of the seasons which the Father has put 243 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:39,320 in his own authority, But you shall receive power when the 244 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,760 Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me 245 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:46,680 in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the 246 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:47,520 earth. OK. 247 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:51,560 Jesus speaks these words, right? He ascends to his Father in 248 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,560 heaven. He goes up in the clouds. 249 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:57,040 They're standing there and they and the words were spoken. 250 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,320 Why do you stand up gazing up into the heavens? 251 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,120 Jesus is going to come back in the same manner that you see Him 252 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:07,960 go in the clouds. And then in Acts 2. 253 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:16,040 The Kingdom has come with power, with the baptism of the Holy 254 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,200 Spirit. And do you know what happens in 255 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:21,960 Acts 2? Now Jesus is in heaven. 256 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:23,720 Where is he? Acts 2 And 30. 257 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:26,840 Therefore, being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with 258 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:32,880 an oath to him that of the fruit of his body according to the 259 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:37,240 flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. 260 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,480 Acts 2. Where's Jesus sitting on the 261 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:45,400 throne now? What else? 262 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,440 Verse 33 Where is he? Therefore, being exalted to the 263 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,840 right hand of God, and having received from the Father the 264 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:55,200 promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured out this which you now 265 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:57,280 see and hear. Where's Jesus? 266 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:00,520 He's with the Father. He's at the right hand of God. 267 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:03,040 He is on his throne. OK? 268 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:09,200 Since the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 inaugurates the Kingdom, 269 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,440 it's no longer Please hear me. And then I'm going to make a 270 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:17,560 qualifying statement. And in study of this, I think 271 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:19,280 that there needs to be a qualifying statement. 272 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:22,560 And I'm going to make that. But I'm going to, I'm going to 273 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:25,920 be very clear. The Kingdom has come. 274 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:31,120 Jesus is reigning now in the Kingdom. 275 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:39,240 Now, since Acts Chapter 2 on inaugurates the Kingdom, it is 276 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:43,160 inappropriate to pray for a Kingdom to come. 277 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:47,280 There's not going to be another Kingdom on the earth. 278 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:52,120 Why? He's reigning now over the 279 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:54,640 Kingdom. The Kingdom is the church. 280 00:16:55,160 --> 00:17:00,240 Who's the church? The people, Christians, 281 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:08,839 Christians, are the church. Jesus already said my Kingdom is 282 00:17:08,839 --> 00:17:11,240 not a fleshly Kingdom. It's not a physical Kingdom. 283 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,359 His reign is where Where's the Kingdom? 284 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:21,319 It's within you. Jesus said baptized believers. 285 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:27,280 So here's the qualifying statement, since the word 286 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:29,960 actually Kingdom actually means reign. 287 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,240 The only future reign of Jesus where he's reigning now over the 288 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,480 Kingdom, the only future reign of Jesus. 289 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:42,600 Please hear this as I'm trying to say it is in the hearts of 290 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:47,600 believe of unbelievers now that may someday come to Jesus. 291 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:53,840 That's it. The only future reign of Christ 292 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,160 is in the heart of someone that's not a Christian today, 293 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:04,240 but someday may become one, and then Jesus will reign in their 294 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:08,280 hearts too. That is the only future reign of 295 00:18:08,360 --> 00:18:09,600 Jesus. Somebody might say, what about 296 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:10,560 heaven? No, not heaven. 297 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:12,240 What's going to happen at the end with heaven? 298 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:16,800 Jesus is going to hand the rule over to his Father. 299 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:18,000 He's not going to be reigning in heaven. 300 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,680 He's going to hand it over to his Father that God may be All 301 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:21,640 in all. So we know it's not talking 302 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:26,400 about that, but there is the Kingdom and it exists today and 303 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,880 Jesus is reigning today and we don't pray for the Kingdom. 304 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:32,760 So all that being said, what about the millennial theories? 305 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,840 In spite of all the millennial theories, there's not going to 306 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:42,040 be another Kingdom on the earth. I'm going to make a very bold 307 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:44,120 statement here and I'm going to do my absolute best to 308 00:18:44,120 --> 00:18:48,000 respectfully and clearly prove my point. 309 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:56,680 Jesus is also not going to restore, refurbish or redeem 310 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:02,600 creation or the earth. It's all going to be destroyed. 311 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,680 More on that in just a moment. You know, the Bible speaks of a 312 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,000 new heaven and a new earth, and we're going to talk about what 313 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:11,680 all that means. Let's not be confused. 314 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:16,520 I got to tell you, we couldn't pick better songs that we sang 315 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,920 today about what I want to talk about. 316 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:25,080 We sang Beulah Land. We sang a song of praise that 317 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,720 one day we're going to have perfect praise. 318 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:33,040 Where? Not here, not this place. 319 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:36,200 It's the new heaven and the new earth. 320 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:38,000 But I'm going to explain that I'm going to get. 321 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:41,120 We'll get that. But there is a new heaven and a 322 00:19:41,120 --> 00:19:43,280 new earth. What about the existence? 323 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:45,320 What about creation? What about the earth? 324 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:47,360 What about all that? What about the universe? 325 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:49,200 What about that? Well, first of all, in 326 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,600 Revelation 21 and one John the Revelator said this. 327 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:56,320 Now I saw a new heaven and new earth back to that in a moment 328 00:19:56,640 --> 00:20:01,080 and the 1st heaven and 1st earth had passed away. 329 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:06,920 Let's just establish that first, what does the word in this 330 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,800 passage mean? The word heaven, The word 331 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,000 heaven. Here the root meaning is to 332 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:16,920 cover or encompass. It is the vaulted expanse of the 333 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:22,400 sky, the 1st heaven. The vaulted expanse of the sky. 334 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,240 What's going to happen to it? It's part of the universe by the 335 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:28,600 way, right? Going to pass away. 336 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:34,600 OK, more passages. Second Peter, chapter 3, verse 337 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,320 five. This They willfully forget that 338 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:42,000 by the word of God, the heavens that were of old and the earth 339 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,200 standing out of the water and in the water. 340 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:51,480 Let's go down to verses verse 7. But the heavens and the earth 341 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:55,640 which are now preserved by the same word are reserved for fire 342 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,640 until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 343 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,520 We're going to get very specific and break it down, but here's 344 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:05,680 the general idea here. The 1st heaven, the aerial 345 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:10,800 heavens is going to pass away. The heavens plural it says is 346 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:15,160 going to be reserved for fire. Why does it say heavens plural? 347 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:17,920 The reason it says heavens, plural is because guess what? 348 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:23,400 There's three heavens. The Bible talks about 3 heavens. 349 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:28,280 What is Heaven? #1, the aerial expanse of the 350 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,400 sky that we noticed. It is the region where the 351 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:35,080 clouds and Tempest gather and where Thunder and lightning are 352 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:36,680 produced. You look up in the clouds, you 353 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:38,080 see the clouds. Guess what that is? 354 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,720 That is the 1st heaven. That's the 1st heaven. 355 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:47,000 What about this James 518? Here's a Bible passage 356 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:48,800 describing that. And he prayed again. 357 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:53,000 And the heaven, that's this heaven gave rain and the earth 358 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,440 produced its fruit. That's the 1st heaven. 359 00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:00,320 OK What about the second one? That's the sidereal or the 360 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:02,240 starry heavens? That's the place where the stars 361 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:03,480 are. It's the place, by the way, 362 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:05,640 where the sun, the moon, and the planets and all that stuff, 363 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,720 right? Hebrews 11 and 12. 364 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,480 Therefore from one man and him as good as dead were born as 365 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:17,320 many as the stars of the sky and multitude innumerable as the 366 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,800 sand. By the seashore mark 1325 the 367 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:25,400 stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will 368 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,600 be shaken. That's the place where the stars 369 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:32,360 are. OK, What about the one that I 370 00:22:32,360 --> 00:22:35,160 care about? How about the 3rd heaven? 371 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:42,360 You know, after Paul was baptized in Acts Chapter 9, he 372 00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:46,440 spent time as a Christian, like everybody does growing in 373 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,320 Christ. And then there was a very 374 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:54,040 special event, and the very special event was this. 375 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:57,720 He was going to get a view into the 3rd heaven. 376 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:01,160 We're going to find out where that is and what that looks 377 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:12,960 like. Into the 3rd heaven. 14 years 378 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:17,480 after he saw that view into heaven he said this. 379 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,920 I knew a man in Christ who 14 years ago, by the way, he's 380 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,400 Speaking of himself. I knew a man in Christ, me who 381 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:29,000 14 years ago, whether in the body I do not know or whether 382 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,800 out of the body I do not know. God knows such a one was caught 383 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:38,320 up into the 3rd heaven. What's the 3rd heaven? 384 00:23:38,360 --> 00:23:42,280 Here it is the region above the stars, by the way. 385 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:46,600 The seat of order, of things, eternal and consummately 386 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,520 perfect. It is the place where God dwells 387 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:53,840 with other heavenly beings. That is the 3rd heaven. 388 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,040 I'm going to tell you, that's the only one that matters. 389 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:01,440 That's Beulah Land by the way that we sang. 390 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:05,880 That's the place that we're going to give God perfect 391 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:09,920 praise. It's the 3rd heaven. 392 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,920 Paul the Apostle Paul who's speaking about Jesus. 393 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:20,280 Notice he said the following to those at Ephesus in Ephesians 394 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:24,440 chapter 4 and verse 10. He said he who ascended 395 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,000 descended. That's Jesus. 396 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:30,480 He's descended from heaven, is also the one who ascended far 397 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:34,360 above all the heavens. Who did that? 398 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:38,200 Jesus. He ascended above, by the way, 399 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:42,200 the aerial expanse of the sky. He ascended above the stars and 400 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:46,240 he is now fulfilling all things in the 3rd heaven. 401 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:52,400 So the place we all want to go is the place where Jesus is 402 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,800 sitting on the right hand of the throne of God, reigning over his 403 00:24:55,800 --> 00:25:00,680 Kingdom. So what's going to happen to the 404 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,720 entire universe, including the Earth where we now live? 405 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:09,800 What's going to happen? Please go with me to do a study 406 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,200 of these words, folks, to understand exactly what's going 407 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:16,880 to happen and that this Earth is not going to be inhabited by 408 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:20,720 anyone. Please second Peter 3 and verse 409 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,760 10. But the day of the Lord will 410 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,560 come as a thief from the night in the which the heavens will 411 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:31,920 pass away. What's pass away mean? 412 00:25:34,360 --> 00:25:35,360 Well, you might say well, pass away. 413 00:25:35,360 --> 00:25:36,880 It means pass away. Well, let's look at the actual 414 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:38,240 word. What it actually means means 415 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,680 this. It means to perish or pass away, 416 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,000 to vanish, disappear out of sight. 417 00:25:47,120 --> 00:25:49,680 Does that sound anything at all like a refurbishing? 418 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:59,640 Disappear out of sight. That's the first two. 419 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,280 Heavens. What else? 420 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:08,920 And the elements will melt with fervent heat. 421 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:13,040 So you got the universe. By the way, God spoke the 422 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:14,960 universe into existence. You know what he used? 423 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:17,320 He used elements that make up the universe. 424 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:20,240 What's the word elements mean? The elements from which all 425 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:22,560 things come. The material causes of the 426 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:24,800 universe. What does the Bible say here? 427 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:28,240 Peter's saying the heavens are going to pass away, meaning 428 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:32,240 disappear. The elements that made-up 429 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:35,880 everything are going to melt with fervent heat. 430 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:38,360 So what's the word melt mean? It comes from 2 Greek words, 431 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:41,760 tico and Luo. 2 words actually Luo first, then tico. 432 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:47,360 This is what melt means. Melt means to dissolve something 433 00:26:47,360 --> 00:26:49,600 coherent so the universe is coherent. 434 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:53,680 Melt means to dissolve something coherent into parts and destroy. 435 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,760 It means to make liquid to destroy or be destroyed by 436 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:00,240 melting. Gone. 437 00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:10,960 Even the elements that made-up the universe will be gone and 438 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:16,280 something else, the earth and the works that are in it will be 439 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:21,400 burned up. OK, what about fire? 440 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:25,960 You know, fire does two things #1. 441 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:29,520 Fire purifies. For example, if you take 442 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,720 something like gold and you subject it to fire, it purifies 443 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:36,320 the gold. Some people think what God's 444 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:40,600 going to do is just purify the earth and then restore it and 445 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:44,640 redeem it and all of that. Careful with that, all we got to 446 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:46,440 do is look at the word this word burned. 447 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:50,560 This word burned is the other aspect of what happens when you 448 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:54,920 subject something to a flame. And that's the word here. 449 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,680 Burned is to burn up and consume by fire. 450 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:02,720 That's what this word burn means, not purify. 451 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,320 Burn it up. So what do we know? 452 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:09,800 The heavens and all the universe is going to be gone. 453 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,280 The elements that made it up will melt with fervent heat. 454 00:28:12,360 --> 00:28:14,640 And the works and the and the earth and the works that are in 455 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:17,320 it will be burned up and consumed by fire. 456 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:21,920 So OK, what's the new heaven and the new earth? 457 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:24,800 What is it? Second Peter, chapter 3 and 458 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:27,480 verse 13. Nevertheless, we, according to 459 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,120 his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which 460 00:28:31,120 --> 00:28:34,360 righteousness dwells. First of all, the word new means 461 00:28:34,360 --> 00:28:39,200 this as respects to form recently made, fresh, recent, 462 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:42,680 unused, unworn. That which is recently made is 463 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:47,520 superior to what it succeeds. Folks, that's not a 464 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:50,080 refurbishing. And guess what? 465 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:54,000 It has nothing to do with the Earth that we've ever been on. 466 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,320 It's not a refixing. It is something that we're going 467 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:08,960 to a place that is unused. That's the new Earth, all right. 468 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:14,080 New heavens and New Earth give you a passage. 469 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:16,680 I'm going to get back to that phrase Earth and why Earth is 470 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:20,360 actually being used. Where is the new heavens and the 471 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:22,080 new earth and what's it referring to? 472 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:24,640 First Peter chapter one, beginning in verse three. 473 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:27,600 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 474 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:30,040 according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a 475 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:31,880 living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and 476 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:34,960 the dead, to an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, 477 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:42,240 that does not fade away. Please get this reserved in 478 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:49,000 heaven for you. Didn't it excite you? 479 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:50,920 Jesus going to talk about this too, by the way, Didn't excite 480 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:53,840 you to know that there's a reservation in heaven for you. 481 00:29:53,840 --> 00:30:02,720 Man, that's pretty neat stuff. There's a reservation. 482 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:09,960 Where in heaven, new heavens and new earth is simply referring to 483 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:13,880 the 3rd heaven. A place that is unworn, unused, 484 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:16,560 uninhabited and greater than the earth that we've ever known. 485 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,200 So why does the word earth be used here? 486 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:21,760 You know what earth is. Earth is a dwelling place. 487 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:25,200 Where are we now? We are on earth, our dwelling 488 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,080 place. What he was saying is we're 489 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:29,400 going to have a new dwelling place. 490 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,520 The dwelling place is heaven really fast and I don't have 491 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,440 time. Remember when Jesus actually 492 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:42,680 used an Old Testament literal example to show a New Testament 493 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:45,200 or future spiritual application? He did it many times. 494 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:47,000 He's going to do it again in John 14. 495 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:51,680 Going to get to that, He did it when he gave the Beatitudes in 496 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,800 the 1st 12 verses of Matthew 5. And he said blessed are the 497 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,160 meek, for they will inherit the earth, right? 498 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,360 The word earth there actually means land. 499 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:05,120 Think of it this way, everything he was giving was a spiritual 500 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:06,800 application. So he wasn't talking about this 501 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:07,840 earth. He wasn't talking about this 502 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,960 land. The word inherit means to 503 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:14,000 receive your allotted portion. What he was saying is the meek 504 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:17,320 are going to receive their allotted portion of land or what 505 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:19,240 land? Well, the illusion is back to 506 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:22,480 the Old Testament when the children of Israel were given a 507 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:27,160 promise of the land of Canaan literal Canaan, the promised 508 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:29,120 land, the land that flowed with milk and honey. 509 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:34,080 Jesus was using that example to make a future spiritual 510 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:36,520 application. What's our promised land? 511 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:45,440 It's heaven Jesus is using and the Bible is using here. 512 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:49,600 Earth in a metaphorical spot or metaphorical idea. 513 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:52,640 Not the literal earth, but our new dwelling place. 514 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:56,920 And guess what Peter said? There's a reservation for God's 515 00:31:56,920 --> 00:32:00,240 people there. For Christians there Jesus said 516 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:03,320 the same thing. John 14, beginning in verse one. 517 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:06,440 Let your heart, let not your heart be troubled. 518 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:08,280 You believe in God. Believe also in me. 519 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:11,600 In my father's house are many mansions. 520 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:15,760 If it were not so, I would have told you I go to prepare a place 521 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:18,240 for you. And if I go and prepare a place 522 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,760 for you, I will come again and receive you to myself. 523 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:22,880 That where I am, there you may be also. 524 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:24,440 All right. It's true. 525 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:28,000 The word mansions here. There's a better rendering of 526 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:32,080 what this word actually is, and it's what it actually means. 527 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:38,320 The word mansions actually means a staying, abiding, dwelling or 528 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:41,800 abode. OK, no problem. 529 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:43,800 What did we say the new earth is? 530 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:46,040 We said it's going to be a new dwelling place. 531 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:51,760 No problem here. You could say it like this. 532 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:56,840 In my father's house are many dwelling places. 533 00:32:58,200 --> 00:32:59,720 You know what Jesus is doing here? 534 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:02,640 He's doing it again. He's referring back to an Old 535 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:05,440 Testament literal thing that they would have understood. 536 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:08,600 And what was that? The many dwelling places in the 537 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,760 House of God. In the Old Testament, what was 538 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:13,800 the dwelling place in the House of God? 539 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:15,520 First of all, what was the House of God? 540 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:17,040 In the Old Testament, it was the temple. 541 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,200 And in the temple in the Old Testament called the House of 542 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:23,920 God, there were many dwelling places. 543 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:26,320 You know what they're called? They were called chambers. 544 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:35,440 OK 2 Old Testament passages against the wall of the temple. 545 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:36,880 This is first kings six and five. 546 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,440 He built chambers all around against the walls of the temple, 547 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:43,240 all around the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary. 548 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:45,600 Thus he made side chambers all around it. 549 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:48,920 One more passage in Ezra 8 and 29. 550 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:52,000 Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leaders of 551 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:54,720 the priests and the Levites and the heads of the Father's houses 552 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:56,720 of Israel in Jerusalem. Where? 553 00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:59,920 In the chambers of the House of the Lord. 554 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:10,080 Folks, I'll tell you, I don't know. 555 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:12,639 I I saw a YouTube video where somebody got on there and said 556 00:34:12,639 --> 00:34:15,320 because the word mansions doesn't doesn't actually mean 557 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:18,920 mansions and it means dwelling places, that it can't mean 558 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:23,880 heaven. Nope, it's heaven. 559 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:33,000 Jesus was going back again to an Old Testament literal example. 560 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:34,400 Why did he do that? Because that's what they would 561 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,800 have understood. They would have understood that 562 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,960 concept. And he's making a spiritual 563 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:44,360 application for the future. Remember, where did Jesus say he 564 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:48,400 was going? He said this, Let not your heart 565 00:34:48,679 --> 00:34:51,000 be troubled believing God believe also in me, my father's 566 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:52,560 house are many dwelling places. We're not. 567 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,840 So I would have told you Jesus said it already is there. 568 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:00,920 And then he said this. Peter said I'm going to there is 569 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:04,080 a reservation there. Jesus says I'm going to go 570 00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:06,240 prepare a place. And I got to tell you something. 571 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:12,560 If you look at that, he said, In my father's house are many 572 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:15,800 mansions or dwelling places. That means they already existed. 573 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:21,560 OK, when Jesus says I'm going to go prepare a place, he was not 574 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:23,040 saying I'm going to go build your room. 575 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:28,760 They already existed. The illusion of the Old 576 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:30,720 Testament, just like in the House of God, they had many 577 00:35:30,720 --> 00:35:32,680 chambers. What he's saying is in the New 578 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,480 Testament time, we're in the future time spiritual 579 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:38,120 application. There's many dwelling places in 580 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:41,000 the House of God. Where's that where he said he 581 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:43,600 was going, Where's that? That's heaven. 582 00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:51,360 It's heaven. So what's prepare mean if it 583 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:55,080 doesn't mean build? This is great stuff. 584 00:35:56,960 --> 00:36:00,480 He was going to heaven to make reservations for his disciples. 585 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:02,680 So there's a reservation there. Who makes the reservation? 586 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:08,920 Jesus for his. It's one thing to have a 587 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:10,960 reservation. It's nothing for Jesus to make 588 00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:14,840 it for you. When I go and get a reservation 589 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:16,160 at a hotel, they don't build me a room. 590 00:36:16,160 --> 00:36:19,480 They get it ready. They put my name down. 591 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:20,560 Hey, that's mine. That's Frank. 592 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:22,200 Brad Collins coming in. That's his room. 593 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:26,880 That's what Jesus was saying in this passage. 594 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:32,840 It is heaven. And he was getting it ready for 595 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:38,520 them. I can't fathom wanting to go 596 00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:43,920 anywhere else. John the Revelator describe 597 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:47,040 heaven like this. I hope I can remember it all. 598 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:52,360 He said there were foundations of heaven and they were massive. 599 00:36:55,280 --> 00:37:00,320 He said there were 12 foundations and written on the 600 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:03,960 12 foundations were the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. 601 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:11,840 He said there were 12 gates and standing on every gate was an 602 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:15,560 Angel. He said the gates were 603 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:17,000 identical. I think there's a picture there, 604 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:21,800 don't you? The gates of heaven to get in 605 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:27,320 are equal, meaning there's only one way and that's Jesus. 606 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:30,600 I'm going to give you the Bible for that in a minute. 607 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:33,520 But there's only one way and it's Jesus. 608 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:41,040 John said it was a city Foursquare. 609 00:37:43,680 --> 00:37:46,600 It was massive. And he said that means this 610 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:49,960 Foursquare. That means the the length, the 611 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:51,800 breadth and the height were equal. 612 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:59,320 He said the distance was 12,000 furlongs on each one. 613 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:07,000 A furlong is 1/8 of a mile. For all you racehorse fans, 1/8 614 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:11,960 of a mile, 12,000 furlongs is 1500 miles. 615 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:17,080 We don't know how big heaven is. That's one side. 616 00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:23,120 That's the distance, by the way, between Dallas, TX and New York 617 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:30,880 City from New York City to Bismarck, ND, from Bismarck, ND 618 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:35,320 to San Francisco, CA and from San Francisco, CA back down to 619 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:36,640 Dallas, TX. Pretty big, right? 620 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:41,280 And ain't even a half of it. It's a city 4 square. 621 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:43,800 So guess what? Now you got to go up 1500 miles 622 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:48,960 straight up and do it again. Wow. 623 00:38:53,240 --> 00:38:57,080 He described it as a city of pure gold. 624 00:38:59,720 --> 00:39:01,880 He said there was a wall of Jasper. 625 00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:09,360 There were gates of Pearl and a street of gold. 626 00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:19,320 It's going to be inhabited with real people, real people with 627 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:27,040 immortal, strong bodies, bodies that will be as recognizable as 628 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:31,200 Moses and Elijah were on the Mount of Transfiguration, who 629 00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:33,680 had been dead for many, many years, and Peter, James and 630 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:35,200 John. When they appeared as visitors 631 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:36,720 that day, they knew exactly who they were. 632 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:44,520 Beautiful, strong, immortal bodies. 633 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:50,400 I got to tell you something. I got to tell you something. 634 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:55,400 I don't know how it's all going to be, but the Bible says when 635 00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:59,240 we shall see Jesus, we will know for we shall be like him. 636 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:03,840 So however these spiritual bodies are, it's going to be 637 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:09,840 like Jesus. Interesting, Interesting point. 638 00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:14,240 You know what a Christian is? One of the definitions of 639 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:21,920 Christian is Christ. Like John says, when we get 640 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:30,160 there, we're going to be Christ. Like when you're Christ, like 641 00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:33,760 here, you get to be Christ. Like they're Christians. 642 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:40,960 Isn't that great? And even though our bodies are 643 00:40:40,960 --> 00:40:43,280 going to be like Jesus, somehow, some way we're going to be 644 00:40:43,280 --> 00:40:44,840 recognizable. And I'm going to tell you 645 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:50,200 something I have to tell you. Of all the joys that I think 646 00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:52,680 about in my heart, when I think about heaven, I think about 647 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:55,680 friends and loved ones and family that I'm going to be 648 00:40:55,680 --> 00:41:00,880 there for eternity with. I think about that, but there's 649 00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:02,520 something that always comes to my mind. 650 00:41:12,870 --> 00:41:21,200 There's a little boy who didn't get to live past four months, 651 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:28,920 who died in my arms on April 19th, 1994. 652 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:41,400 Somehow he's going to go off as his dad, and that's all. 653 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:49,280 If this is not heaven, we better quit praying and we better quit 654 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:55,880 singing about the Day of Reunions. 655 00:41:58,240 --> 00:42:05,040 If it's not personal, it is personal. 656 00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:11,320 Well, what's the point? What's the point? 657 00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:17,840 If we talk about and pray about hope, if we don't have each 658 00:42:17,840 --> 00:42:21,560 other there, and it's not personal, then what's the point? 659 00:42:22,320 --> 00:42:24,840 I know that Jesus said we're not, there's no marriage, we're 660 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:26,600 not giving a marriage. We're as the Angel of God in 661 00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:27,840 heaven. So don't misunderstand me. 662 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:30,240 But somehow, someway, we're going to know as we were known. 663 00:42:31,720 --> 00:42:47,000 Somehow I want to go there. That's all that matters, Thomas 664 00:42:47,000 --> 00:42:48,520 said. By the way, so how do you get 665 00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:49,720 there? Thomas said this, and I'm 666 00:42:49,920 --> 00:42:54,600 concluding, Thomas said, when Jesus said this, Thomas said, 667 00:42:54,880 --> 00:43:01,080 Lord, we don't know where you're going and how can we know the 668 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:05,640 way. Remember when I said the gates 669 00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:08,840 in heaven are 12 gates in heaven and they're identical. 670 00:43:09,160 --> 00:43:10,880 Showing you can't do it your own way, You have to do through 671 00:43:10,880 --> 00:43:14,000 Jesus. The only one way to heaven is 672 00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:15,880 Jesus. Here it is. 673 00:43:16,880 --> 00:43:20,560 Jesus says I am the way, the truth and the life. 674 00:43:20,560 --> 00:43:22,600 No one comes to the Father except through me. 675 00:43:23,520 --> 00:43:26,200 That's it. That's heaven. 676 00:43:27,640 --> 00:43:29,960 No future Kingdom on the earth. This thing's out of here and I'm 677 00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:32,160 glad. Let's get it out. 678 00:43:32,240 --> 00:43:37,560 Get on to something greater and better than we can ever possibly 679 00:43:37,600 --> 00:43:40,480 fathom Place of. No more sadness. 680 00:43:40,480 --> 00:43:42,880 No more sickness. Yeah, me and you. 681 00:43:42,960 --> 00:43:45,600 No more Crohn's. No more cancer. 682 00:43:47,160 --> 00:43:52,000 No more Done. How about that? 683 00:43:53,240 --> 00:43:55,080 Forever. How do you get there? 684 00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:58,320 Here's the invitation. You got to hear the word of God. 685 00:43:58,320 --> 00:44:00,480 Romans 10/17. So faith comes by hearing and 686 00:44:00,480 --> 00:44:03,720 hearing by the word of God. Upon hearing the word of God, we 687 00:44:03,720 --> 00:44:05,440 have a choice. You got to believe with all your 688 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:06,640 heart. Hebrews 11 and six. 689 00:44:06,640 --> 00:44:08,560 Without faith, it's impossible to please him. 690 00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:11,920 For he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he 691 00:44:11,920 --> 00:44:15,240 is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. 692 00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:16,960 You got to believe with all your heart. 693 00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:20,000 But that's not enough. Jesus said you got to repent of 694 00:44:20,000 --> 00:44:22,800 your sins. Acts 17 and 30 Truly these times 695 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:26,200 of ignorance, God overlooked, but now commands all men 696 00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:29,000 everywhere to repent. Got to change my life. 697 00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:32,240 Then what? I've got to be willing to say 698 00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:35,120 the greatest thing I will ever say, confessing Jesus Christ as 699 00:44:35,120 --> 00:44:38,440 the Son of God Acts. 837 Then Philip said, if you believe with 700 00:44:38,440 --> 00:44:41,040 all your heart you may, And he answered and said, I believe 701 00:44:41,040 --> 00:44:43,800 that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 702 00:44:44,600 --> 00:44:46,960 Upon taking those steps of obedience, you are now a fit 703 00:44:46,960 --> 00:44:50,920 candidate to go to the point of salvation, and that's baptism 704 00:44:51,240 --> 00:44:57,080 for the remission of sins. Mark 1616 He who believes and is 705 00:44:57,080 --> 00:45:01,800 baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be 706 00:45:01,800 --> 00:45:04,440 condemned. If you've never taken those 707 00:45:04,440 --> 00:45:06,520 steps of obedience, we would love to assist you in that. 708 00:45:06,520 --> 00:45:08,920 Today, we're ready to go. Maybe you have. 709 00:45:08,920 --> 00:45:11,000 Maybe there's something in your life that's on your heart that 710 00:45:11,000 --> 00:45:14,400 you would like to confess that you would like to have prayers 711 00:45:14,600 --> 00:45:16,600 for. We would love to assist you in 712 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:17,960 that too. If you want to be the class, 713 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:20,160 come forward while we stand and while we say. 714 00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:24,400 We thank you for listening to our podcast put on by The Church 715 00:45:24,400 --> 00:45:28,840 of Christ at 2215 Plans Rd. in Bakersfield. 716 00:45:29,560 --> 00:45:33,000 If you would like any additional information or you would like to 717 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:35,960 receive a free Bible correspondence course by mail, 718 00:45:36,720 --> 00:45:42,000 please e-mail us at info@churchofchristbakersfield.com. 719 00:45:42,760 --> 00:45:47,960 Our service times are Sundays at 10:30 AM and 5:00 PM and 720 00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:52,440 Wednesdays at 7:30 PM. Please make plans to join us. 721 00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:55,040 We would love for you to be our honored guest.