1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,560 Well, this morning, if we haven't met, my name is Josh. 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,840 I have the great joy of serving as pastor here at the Garden. 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,120 And I just want to say welcome. It's great to be together this 4 00:00:10,120 --> 00:00:12,080 morning. It's great to be back after 5 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:13,560 being out of town for a couple of weeks. 6 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,840 And this morning we are finally reaching the end of the story, 7 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:22,080 the story that we've been in over the course of ten weeks, 8 00:00:22,080 --> 00:00:27,920 where we've been tracing the single arc from beginning to 9 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,560 end, this narrative journey of God's redemption that began all 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:33,280 the way back in Revel, in Genesis. 11 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,400 And now we get to the end of the story, all the way here today in 12 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,680 Revelation. And I'm excited about this. 13 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,040 I was telling Manny, I'm not sure if I've ever spoken on 14 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:47,880 Revelation before. Maybe not entirely by accident. 15 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:52,160 Revelation is maybe one of the most challenging and contested 16 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,840 texts in all of Scripture. People disagree about this. 17 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:57,720 People make up all kind of interesting things. 18 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:01,880 Maybe maybe you grew up in a church where everybody like read 19 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:05,519 the left behind books and we're concerned about the rapture. 20 00:01:05,519 --> 00:01:08,440 And like, you know, every time you saw somebody's dirty clothes 21 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:10,520 on the floor, you were like, what did they leave? 22 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:14,960 What happened to my left behind? You know, or, or maybe, or maybe 23 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:17,280 you were part of one of these communities where like everybody 24 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:18,920 is like, I think they're the Antichrist. 25 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,160 Look if their name and these numbers and something, 26 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:26,280 something, right. Revelation is a fascinating book 27 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,280 that people have used throughout the centuries to try and make 28 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,760 sense of what's going on. It's often captured our 29 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:38,000 imagination because of its bizarre symbols and and the idea 30 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,280 that if somehow we could just like map them all correctly, 31 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,080 somehow we'd have this crystal ball for making sense of the 32 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,240 future. Well, this morning, without 33 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:52,080 answering all of the questions, I want to talk to you about what 34 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:57,080 I think Revelation is really all about and what it has to tell us 35 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:01,080 about not only the future but also our lives today. 36 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:03,720 Here's how Revelation describes itself. 37 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,160 In Revelation chapter one, in verse one, we read that the book 38 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:11,800 is the revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to 39 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:15,000 show His servants what must soon take place. 40 00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:19,560 OK, so we see two things in this opening verse that I think are 41 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:21,960 significant that suggests to us how we read this book. 42 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,800 The first thing is that we see that the Revelation is about the 43 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:27,360 future. This is the first time in this 44 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:29,920 whole series we've been looking back. 45 00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:33,000 Looking back, looking back now with the Book of Revelation, we 46 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,800 actually pass our own time and space and look forward to the 47 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:37,160 end of the story. It's kind of cool. 48 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:40,120 But secondly, how does Revelation do this? 49 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,920 Well, it it, it, it, it does so as a revelation. 50 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:47,280 And this is actually a technical term it it's the Greek word 51 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:50,120 apocalypsis. Apocalypsis. 52 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,480 Now this is the word from which we get the word apocalypse. 53 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,720 And if you're thinking that like, OK, that means world 54 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,600 ending meteors or monsters, that is unfortunately not the right 55 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:03,440 image. OK, so apocalypse meant 56 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:06,080 something different to John's 1st century readers than it 57 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,960 would to those of us who watch a lot of sci-fi. 58 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,200 For in the 1st century, apocalypse was like a kind of 59 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,280 literature. It was a genre that we would be 60 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:17,440 there people in that day would be familiar with. 61 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,360 Just like you pick up a comic book and you kind of know that 62 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:22,520 that's like supposed to be different from a cookbook is 63 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,880 supposed to be different from a newspaper, right? 64 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,840 With each of these genres, you go in and you kind of know like, 65 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,640 this is what is happening here. This is what do I I expect. 66 00:03:30,640 --> 00:03:34,520 This is what I do with this. Well, in the 1st century, 67 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,880 apocalypses were something that would be familiar to John's 68 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,240 audience. There are other biblical 69 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,360 apocalypses, for instance Daniel or Ezekiel. 70 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,080 There are also extra biblical writings that kind of speak in 71 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:51,200 this same genre that were contemporary with Revelation 72 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:55,000 apocalypses, like Second Baruch or 4 Ezra. 73 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:00,720 What an apocalypse does is it. It talks about the future, it 74 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:05,720 talks about the end of the world using tools of visions and 75 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,320 symbols, and it does so specifically in order to help us 76 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,400 make sense of God's purposes in world history. 77 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:18,880 It's intended to give us hope and envision about what God is 78 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,839 up to amidst the circumstances that we see. 79 00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:26,120 I don't believe Revelation is a cipher for making sense of 80 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:30,320 current events so much as it is a way for us to see our own 81 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:35,360 story from God's perspective. Now, here's another key point 82 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:39,200 for making sense of this book. Well, John's Apocalypse, like 83 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,600 all Scripture, matters for you and me of people living in the 84 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:47,040 21st century, it wasn't written with us primarily in mind. 85 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,960 We see in chapters 2 and three of the book that there were 86 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,720 actually 7 specific churches that were recipients of this 87 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,840 letter. It was intended as a circular 88 00:04:56,840 --> 00:05:00,600 letter addressed between these early Christian churches at the 89 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,840 end of the 1st century in what is now modern day Turkey. 90 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,000 And when they received this letter, each of these churches 91 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,280 were facing different kinds of challenges. 92 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,520 For one, there was a fresh wave at the time of backlash and 93 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:19,360 persecution against Christians by the Roman government. 94 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,320 There was tension between the empire and the state. 95 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:27,120 See, the Romans viewed the rapid growth of Christianity as a as a 96 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,680 danger. This was problematic for them 97 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,480 because Roman civil religion, which everyone was enrolled in, 98 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,720 justified the status quo and even exalted the emperor as a 99 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,120 deity. Meanwhile, more and more people 100 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,000 are becoming Christians, and when they do, they claim that 101 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:48,760 Jesus is Lord, and that means that Caesar is not right. 102 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,240 So they're questioning this allegiance in way that is making 103 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,360 the empire very uncomfortable. I don't know if I can count on 104 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,440 you for the kind of support. I don't know if if these beliefs 105 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:01,840 are going to undermine the way in which you show up to justify 106 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:05,760 the status quo. So there's this growing tension 107 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:09,760 between church and empire. There are other problems as 108 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:11,680 well. And in the midst of this 1st 109 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,840 century moment, these Christian churches, which had been founded 110 00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:18,320 a few decades earlier, now are in many cases beginning to show 111 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,400 some cracks, like they're not doing great. 112 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:26,080 If you read chapters 2 and 3 here of Revelation in Ephesus, 113 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,400 we see that the believers have drifted from their first 114 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,240 passionate, fervent love of Jesus. 115 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:37,160 In Pergamum and Thyatira, the Christians are finding meaning 116 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,240 by chasing the same things that their neighbors idolize. 117 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,040 They're sleeping around just like their neighbors. 118 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:47,280 Laodicea is so rich that they're distracted by all the fun things 119 00:06:47,280 --> 00:06:50,160 to do, all the experiences that they can buy. 120 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,960 They've completely lost sight of spiritual realities. 121 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:58,280 These are the Christians increasingly under pressure from 122 00:06:58,280 --> 00:07:01,360 the surrounding culture. They're either caving or 123 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:06,640 capitulating or accommodating. And so John writes this 124 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:12,360 apocalypse seeking to to answer 2 fundamental questions as a 125 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:16,680 resistance literature attempting to encourage them to persevere. 126 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,680 And here are the two questions, questions that I think matter 127 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:25,080 for us today as well. First off, what is the point of 128 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,920 faithfulness if it's going to cost me? 129 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:32,560 What is the point of faithfulness if it's going to 130 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,880 cost me? And secondly, if everything is 131 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,680 going to hell, is there really any hope? 132 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,240 If everything's going to hell, is there really any hope? 133 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,640 It's in this context that Revelation is written as a 134 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,280 prophetic warning and encouragement to God's people to 135 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:54,840 to persevere under pressure to maintain their identity, to 136 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:58,360 continue to cultivate the passionate love that they have 137 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:03,080 for Jesus, and to to follow him even if it costs them. 138 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:08,080 I could imagine that this might be, I don't know what you think. 139 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,320 Seems to me that this could be important for us today too. 140 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:15,000 I don't know. Maybe you found yourself 141 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,280 thinking at some point. Sure. 142 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:20,840 Like I'm still a Christian, of course, but I like, I just can't 143 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:23,360 keep up. Like life is so busy right now. 144 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,000 I don't know if I have time for this. 145 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:30,520 Maybe there was a moment when you were out with friends and 146 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:33,760 your conscience was screaming at you. 147 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:38,799 Like, you know, you need to opt out from this, but it'd be 148 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:40,880 embarrassing and awkward. You don't want to be a stick in 149 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,560 the mud, and so you kind of just caved and went along with it. 150 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:49,720 Maybe there's an area in your life where you know that how 151 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,360 you're living is just inconsistent with what it means 152 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,800 to follow Jesus. Maybe your relationship with 153 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,240 Jesus has slipped to the back burner. 154 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,800 Or, like the Christians in Sardis, you're going through all 155 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:03,120 the motions. You're still showing up. 156 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:07,480 You're here in church, but inside it doesn't feel like 157 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:12,640 there's any real life left. If you relate to any of these 158 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:16,120 things, friends, then I believe Revelation is for you. 159 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,920 This revealing is for us. If you've ever asked whether 160 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:23,440 faithfulness was worth it, or struggled to find hope in what 161 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:27,040 felt like was the face of just these insurmountable evil, 162 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:32,720 Revelation is for you. In Revelation, this evil, which 163 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:37,000 grinds people down and seduces them into complicity, has a 164 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:40,240 name. It's personified as as a dragon, 165 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,600 as a beast, and even as a city, the city of Babylon. 166 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,560 Now, in this story, we've met Babylon before. 167 00:09:47,560 --> 00:09:51,200 You may remember all the way back in Genesis 11, we met the 168 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:55,320 first prototype of Babylon in the Tower of Babel. 169 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,440 It was this first moment when all the people of the world 170 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:02,560 united. Unity's a good thing for the 171 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:05,320 wrong reason in order to defy God, right? 172 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,440 Everybody got on the same page to push back about what God had 173 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:11,680 told them and and to seize control to bring this is like 174 00:10:11,680 --> 00:10:15,440 the first Empire, right? They all get together and they 175 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:17,680 try to build this tower that will reach to the heavens, 176 00:10:17,680 --> 00:10:23,480 giving them control and power to be able to sustain life on their 177 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:27,000 own terms. We see later in the narrative 178 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:32,120 that this same spirit emergence again in the actual empire of 179 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,400 Babylon. This empire, of course, conquers 180 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,160 Jerusalem. The Babylonians come in and they 181 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,720 wreck the temple. They destroy the place where God 182 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:47,200 lives with his people and carry away God's people into exile, a 183 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,720 theme we've talked about a lot throughout the prophets like 184 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:54,640 Isaiah and Jeremiah. Babylon becomes this symbol of 185 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,760 of evil power that stands in defiance of God. 186 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,560 It enslaves his people, it exploits the weak, and it exalts 187 00:11:01,560 --> 00:11:06,360 itself as divine. So by the time that John is 188 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:10,880 writing these words, himself, a prisoner of empire on the island 189 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:15,400 of Patmos, the historic Babylon is long gone, right? 190 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:20,880 Doesn't even exist anymore. But John sees not only a another 191 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:25,280 manifestation of this evil empire in Rome, but he wants us 192 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,400 to understand that there is actually behind these specific 193 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:33,480 politicians and policies, that there is a spirit at work. 194 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:37,760 There is a through line here that has gone across the 195 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,720 centuries. There is an evil spirit which 196 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:45,720 continues to rear its head and rise up to stand in opposition 197 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,960 of God. And this is what John writes 198 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:52,720 about in his Apocalypse. He tells a story not only of of 199 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,320 how Rome will eventually come crashing down, but how this 200 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:01,120 animating spirit which resists and refuses to trust and obey 201 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:03,120 God, will ultimately be defeated. 202 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,160 So what does it take to defeat the villain? 203 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:10,840 How does the story play out? Well, after the letters to the 204 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:14,440 churches in chapters 2 and 3, we see in chapters four and five 205 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,400 that there's this vision of the heavenly throne room. 206 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:22,240 John's swept up into heaven itself, and there he sees God, 207 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,360 and in God's right hand is scroll. 208 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:30,720 The scroll has a message. It details how finally heaven 209 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,680 will come to earth. Things will be on earth as they 210 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:37,520 are in heaven. How is it going to come about? 211 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:39,000 Unfortunately, there's a problem. 212 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,800 If the soul is locked, it is sealed with these 7 seals, and 213 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:44,960 nobody, it seems, can open the seal. 214 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:50,400 In other words, nobody can can bring a history to its ultimate 215 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:57,720 conclusion until Jesus enters. And Jesus is depicted here in 216 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:01,600 the story in Revelation in royal language, the lion of the tribe 217 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,680 of Judah, the root of David, we read in Revelation chapter 5 in 218 00:13:05,680 --> 00:13:08,800 verse 5. But as John turns to look, he 219 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:13,280 sees not a lion, but fascinatingly, a lamb. 220 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,680 Jesus is depicted as a lamb, and not just a lamb, but a slain 221 00:13:18,680 --> 00:13:21,760 lamb, a lamb with its throat slit. 222 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:29,320 This this killed lamb, becomes the vehicle that opens the 223 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,960 scroll that brings history to its conclusion. 224 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,600 There's an important point that John is making here. 225 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:42,480 Through this vision, Jesus brings the purposes of God to 226 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:48,560 fulfillment, not by coercion, but by sacrificial, self giving 227 00:13:48,560 --> 00:13:51,560 love. In the following chapters, we 228 00:13:51,560 --> 00:13:57,360 see these seals opened and as they are open, history begins 229 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,920 rushing towards its conclusion towards what the prophets have 230 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,400 been described as the day of the Lord. 231 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:08,600 There's these bowls and there's there's trumpets, there's vials, 232 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:10,280 there's all of these different things. 233 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:14,360 And ultimately there are many judgments that are poured out. 234 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,320 Evil is being judged, the righteous are being vindicated 235 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:23,280 ultimately in the lead up to this final event called the Day 236 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,440 of the Lord. But despite all of the terrible 237 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,800 judgments that we're seeing, people don't repent. 238 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:34,280 This is a reenactment of what we saw back in the Exodus with 239 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,880 Pharaoh. It's like God is demonstrating 240 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:38,960 his power. He's showing all of these signs 241 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:41,600 and wonders. There's proof like you've never 242 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,400 seen before that God is alive, that he is real. 243 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:47,400 Like everything in the supernatural is out there in the 244 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,920 open. And people double down on their 245 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,640 resistance to him. People don't turn, they don't 246 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,720 change. They continue to resist, and 247 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:01,560 what we actually see in this moment of evil is that many of 248 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:07,160 God's people are killed. People from every tribe, nation, 249 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:11,640 people, and language we read in 7-9 are actually murdered 250 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:16,880 because of their faith in Jesus. This is how John describes the 251 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,120 martyrs here in Revelation Chapter 7. 252 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,480 He says they have washed their robes and made them white in the 253 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:25,560 blood of the Lamb. Never again will they hunger. 254 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:29,280 Never again will they thirst, for the Lamb at the center of 255 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:31,080 the throne will be their shepherd. 256 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,800 He will lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe 257 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:41,400 away every tear from their eyes. What John is telling us is not 258 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:46,280 only is history brought to its fulfillment by way of this 259 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:52,480 slaughtered Lamb, but God's people also follow in his 260 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:56,600 footsteps. They win by dying. 261 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,800 This is crazy because it runs against all of our intuitions. 262 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,240 In fact, I think for many of us this is downright offensive. 263 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:10,440 God's people don't win the battle by stockpiling weapons or 264 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,200 electing the representatives to Congress. 265 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,360 In this story, they actually get killed. 266 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,360 The good guys lose. They're murdered. 267 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,760 But this defeat becomes the stage for God's victory. 268 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:28,080 And counter intuitively, their faithful witness, even unto 269 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:32,680 death, results in many people coming to recognize and glorify 270 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:38,160 Jesus. God's people win in the same way 271 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:39,600 the Lamb has done. So. 272 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,440 Just as Jesus has defeated his enemies by way of his death, 273 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:46,320 God's people conquer in the same way. 274 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:50,000 As Tim Mackie puts it, the mission of God's multi ethnic 275 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:54,000 people is to follow the Lamb, bearing witness to God's justice 276 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:58,480 and mercy before the beastly nations, even if it kills him. 277 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,920 I think this is hard for us. I mean, if I was in charge of 278 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,480 writing the end of the world history, it would not go this 279 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,560 way. I would give it a different 280 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:12,480 ending if I were in charge. Maybe it would say they were 281 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:15,640 righteous and faithful and therefore they found their soul 282 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:17,480 mate and lived happily ever after. 283 00:17:18,599 --> 00:17:23,200 They served every week in Kids Men and so God bless their 284 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:28,040 finances and they were able to buy a great house, right? 285 00:17:28,319 --> 00:17:31,080 They gave generously, and so nobody in their family got 286 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:34,160 cancer. They went to church every week. 287 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:38,360 And so their kids grew up to be balanced, responsible adults 288 00:17:38,360 --> 00:17:41,240 with their own rent who didn't live in the basement. 289 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,920 They had great careers and lots of grandkids, Right. 290 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,080 I think that sometimes this is how we relate to faith. 291 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:53,080 It's like, if I do the right things, then surely, like, God's 292 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,440 going to take care of me. I'm going to get all the stuff 293 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:58,080 that I'm really hoping and longing for. 294 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,840 Or maybe at least I think some of us kind of our story goes 295 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:05,000 like the people of God were really faithful. 296 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:09,520 They prayed really hard, and so God brought a revival and every 297 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:12,280 sector of business and government and culture was 298 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:15,560 transformed, and the world looked increasingly like the 299 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:19,320 Kingdom of God until Jesus was elected president by majority 300 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,920 vote. That sounds great, right? 301 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:27,000 That'd be nice. I like these stories. 302 00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:31,720 It's not what Revelation says. Revelation tells us they 303 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:35,560 conquered by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their 304 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,200 testimony. They did not love their lives so 305 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:44,840 much as to shrink from death. Friends, one of the crazy things 306 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:47,840 about being in Rwanda this week was the opportunity to be with 307 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:52,520 these folks from all over the world, pastors and ministry 308 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:55,200 leaders. And I, I in some cases can't 309 00:18:55,640 --> 00:19:00,400 tell you specifics about the people because if AI gets really 310 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,440 good and pulls this recording from somewhere else, then they 311 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:08,440 might get executed. Like, but we met people who are 312 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:13,000 doing ministry in a space where they've already experienced like 313 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,880 severe backlash for what they're doing. 314 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:21,520 Muslim contacts spaces where the government is in resistance and 315 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:25,320 opposition to they're just faithful sharing of Jesus or 316 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:26,920 even naming that they're a Christian. 317 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:33,040 And yet they're continuing to faithfully witness to the name, 318 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:38,000 believing that that this name has the power to change the 319 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:42,560 world. Like they are faithful like, I 320 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:49,600 hope not till death, but faithful like someday when we 321 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:51,240 get to the end of the story, we're going to talk about that 322 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,480 in a minute. I, I think we're going to get 323 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:56,960 there. And I was telling Ali this week, 324 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:01,080 like, I don't know about like all the mansions and rewards. 325 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:03,040 Revelation talks a lot about rewards, though. 326 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,840 And like, I hope, like I hope there's some good stuff for me. 327 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:09,960 Like I feel like I'm trying to be faithful. 328 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:11,680 I'm trying to, I'm trying to live out my faith. 329 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,280 I'm trying to, to act as I believe Jesus would want. 330 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,640 But when I compare myself to some of these, some of these 331 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:21,400 men, some of these women I met this last week, I'm like, shoot, 332 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:27,320 I got light duty over here. Right, This is I'm I'm basically 333 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:29,880 I'd be a benchwarmer like not in this squad. 334 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:34,440 This is this is incredible. Friends. 335 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:40,560 They conquered by their love, by the word of their testimony. 336 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:46,760 At the end of the story, we see that there is a moment when evil 337 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:53,080 is finally and fully defeated. Judgment falls, those who have 338 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,280 compromised get the reward now, but lose out in the end. 339 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,400 What the story tells us is that those who have exploited and 340 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:03,760 harmed the innocent don't get away with it. 341 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,760 Those have moved out of selfishness and greed and self 342 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:10,600 indulgence. Hope it's good now. 343 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:15,440 There's a reckoning coming. But those who have been 344 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:20,600 faithful, the text tells us we'll inherit a crown of life 345 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:23,360 the never fades. This is what Jesus says at the 346 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:27,040 end of the story, Revelation 2212 through 14. 347 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:31,560 He says, look, I am coming soon. My reward is with me and I will 348 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:34,520 give to each person according to what they have done. 349 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:38,720 I'm the Alpha and the Omega, the 1st and the last, the beginning 350 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,240 and the end. Blessed are those who wash their 351 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:45,040 robes that they may have the right to the tree of life and go 352 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:51,280 through the gates into the city. Friends, there is an opportunity 353 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,000 for those who choose the pathway of faithfulness. 354 00:21:55,920 --> 00:22:01,200 This message that John writes, it gives us, I think like as, as 355 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,720 as much as it's not the message that I would prefer that he 356 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,080 would have written to us in some way. 357 00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:09,400 It's like encouraging because it's honest. 358 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:12,480 Like it tells the truth about the world. 359 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:17,120 It doesn't tell us that like the good guys win and everything 360 00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:20,520 works out great in the end. Which I don't know if you've 361 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:25,000 read the news lately, but like doesn't seem to be what is 362 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:29,960 happening, right. Often times in this life, it it 363 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:34,200 feels like accountability for those who exploit, for those who 364 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:38,320 harm, for the for those who are running pedophile rings for for 365 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:42,760 those who are damaging their neighbors who are taking away 366 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:46,280 food is like it feels like sometimes the accountability 367 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:49,200 isn't there. Seems like people get away Scott 368 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:54,680 free. I'm encouraged that this story 369 00:22:55,240 --> 00:23:01,920 names that like evil often in the short run wins and also 370 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:05,720 says, hey, friends, hold on to hope. 371 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:08,360 This is not the end of the story. 372 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:13,800 There is a final chapter coming. And because of that final 373 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:18,800 chapter, as you look at your own life, Christians, as you look at 374 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:24,720 your own life, churches in ancient Turkey, as you face the 375 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,520 pressure and the power of empire, which threatens to 376 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,320 seduce, which threatens to pull you in all of these different 377 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:34,280 ways. See if I can fix that. 378 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:41,720 You have a choice. Will you be crushed by it in a 379 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,680 way that causes you to give up, to throw in the towel, to 380 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:48,840 retreat, to say it's not worth it, the pain is not worth it? 381 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:52,480 I'm only interested in this faith thing, if it, if it pays 382 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:56,160 off, if I can see the dividends in the short term, in my life, 383 00:23:56,160 --> 00:24:00,720 in the material world. Are you willing to be faithful? 384 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:03,800 Are you? Will you allow yourself to be 385 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:05,600 crushed by the pressures of the world? 386 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:09,600 Will you allow yourself to be seduced by the false promises of 387 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,600 the world? Or will you look forward and 388 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:17,240 believe what Jesus says, that he's coming soon, that his 389 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:21,560 reward is with him, That there is another way that is possible 390 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:24,000 and it's worth it? It may not be worth it in the 391 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:31,040 short run, like it may not all work out in the near term, but 392 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:36,600 in the end it does. At the end of the story we see 393 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:42,840 heaven finally come to earth and the proclamation goes Outlook. 394 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:46,360 God's dwelling place is now among his people. 395 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:50,160 He will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God 396 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,920 himself will be with him and be their God. 397 00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:56,000 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 398 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,680 There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for 399 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:01,920 the old order of things have passed away. 400 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:07,400 Look, I don't think that those comments about comfort are there 401 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,320 on accident. They're there because 402 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:14,240 faithfulness in the near term often times comes with a lot of 403 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,880 tears. It comes with a lot of pain, a 404 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:22,120 lot of difficulty. And yet, if we choose to follow 405 00:25:22,120 --> 00:25:26,400 the Lamb who Himself gave his life for us and for our 406 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:32,440 salvation, we can count on an eternity with Him in His 407 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:37,400 presence. This week I got to hang out and 408 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:42,240 make a new friend with a young Rwandan man named Cagabo. 409 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:48,280 And Cagabo is super cool guy, just incredibly sharp. 410 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:54,560 He works as a civil engineer and he's, he's doing pretty well by 411 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,360 Rwandan standards. Based on what I learned, like 412 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,600 80% of the people in the country struggle with food security. 413 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:03,480 Like they're 80% of the people are having trouble putting 3 414 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:07,160 meals a day on the table. Kagabo and his family are doing 415 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,680 OK. They're in that kind of like top 416 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:15,000 percentage, but not like not easy, right? 417 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,320 He gets up a little before 4:00 every morning to take the bus 418 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:21,240 over an hour away to get to his job site. 419 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:26,520 He's there from 7:00 in the morning all the way until about 420 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:29,200 6:00 PM in the evening. Then he's got to get on the bus 421 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,640 and come back. That doesn't leave a lot of time 422 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:34,840 for his two kids. He's got a six month old. 423 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:37,520 He's got a four month old. His wife, in addition to caring 424 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:39,920 for them, also runs a market downtown. 425 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:46,040 They got heavy, hard lives. But that wasn't what stunned me 426 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:48,720 about Kagabo or or impressed me about him. 427 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:52,960 What was really remarkable was the fact that Kagabo was there 428 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:57,760 at the conference as a church planner, a church planner in 429 00:26:57,960 --> 00:26:59,400 everything that I just told you about. 430 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:05,520 Like on the weekends, they're hosting Bible studies. 431 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:07,160 He's getting ready and preaching. 432 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:09,080 I don't know. I was like, dude, are you like, 433 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:12,280 how do you like, just happened on the bus? 434 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:14,080 I would be sleeping. I don't know. 435 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:22,000 In the short run, that calculus doesn't make any sense. 436 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:28,600 In the short run, those values and decisions don't really pan 437 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:32,200 out. But Kagabo doesn't believe that 438 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:35,520 he's looking at the short run. He wants his neighbors and 439 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:41,560 friends in Rwanda to know Jesus. And so he's laboring on the 440 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:45,800 weekends in the margins on the bus to see a move of God. 441 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:49,120 And it was such a joy to be able to to worship with him last week 442 00:27:49,120 --> 00:27:51,000 when I wasn't here. I was there getting to 443 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:54,400 experience his church community as they're discipling people and 444 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,840 training them in the way of Jesus. 445 00:27:57,120 --> 00:27:59,920 Friends, this is what faithfulness looks like. 446 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:05,000 There's so many different ways that it looks like, right? 447 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:08,000 Maybe it looks like rallying your community to stop stock up 448 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:12,400 the community fridge when neighbors don't have dinner. 449 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:17,280 Maybe it looks like sitting patiently and caringly with a 450 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:19,760 friend who just saw a relationship end and pointing 451 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:23,840 them to Jesus. Maybe it looks like caring for 452 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,400 your mom who's fading into Alzheimer's. 453 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:32,400 And it's honestly difficult. More like another child, but 454 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:37,440 showing up day after day in love and care while you're also 455 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:42,680 leading a group and raising kids and trying to be a Good Wife. 456 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:48,000 Maybe it maybe it, it looks like going beyond your means really 457 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:52,680 to get a place that you can't really afford so you have 458 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:54,880 another room for a foster daughter. 459 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,640 Like maybe it looks differently for you. 460 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:03,960 There are so many examples in our community right now that I'm 461 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:08,240 so grateful to celebrate as as concrete testimonies of the ways 462 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:11,440 in which people are giving up, of their lives, of their souls, 463 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:16,440 of their resources, of their time, of their energy in a way 464 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:19,880 that in the, in the short term, honestly really doesn't make a 465 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:24,280 lot of sense. But from the divine perspective, 466 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:29,120 when you look at it top down and really believe that what Jesus 467 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:35,400 says is true makes all the sense in the world, Friends, we Live 468 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:44,720 Today in Babylon, we in the empire, and every day as we move 469 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:47,320 throughout our lives, there are all of these pressures that we 470 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:48,800 face. They're not that different from 471 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:51,600 the pressures being faced by these 1st century churches in 472 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:57,080 Turkey 2 millennia ago. Pressures to capitulate and 473 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,800 collapse, to just kind of throw in the towel and say, man, it's 474 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:01,960 not worth it. This is too hectic. 475 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:06,640 This is too hard. It's exhausting. 476 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,120 I don't see the results. I'm out. 477 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,240 There's not a payoff here for me. 478 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,640 There's there's constant temptation as the empire so 479 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,960 creatively in Revelation, it's described as a beast, right? 480 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:26,240 A political beast, an economic and cultural beast that is 481 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:34,000 constantly pulling and enrolling and seducing, seducing us into 482 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:40,040 the rat race to to to show up in the ways just like our neighbors 483 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:45,680 that bend our character. There's so many opportunities to 484 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:51,480 to show up in those moments, to be silent when our Co workers 485 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:56,640 are making fun of Christians, when our finances are tight and 486 00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:00,160 we face this temptation to hoard our resources instead of being 487 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:04,200 generous when our preferred candidate does something morally 488 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:08,560 repugnant. We just, you know, want to stay 489 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:09,880 off social media for a little bit. 490 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:16,280 When everyone else is racing, racing, racing for the next 491 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:22,680 degree, for the bonus, for the partnership, for the house, for 492 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:28,360 the activities. To guard our Sabbath, to guard 493 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:33,160 our spiritual life, to guard our own relationship with Jesus and 494 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:37,160 community. Friends, it is not easy to do so 495 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:42,560 in Babylon. And so as we read this book, we 496 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:47,480 have the invitation. We have the question, will we be 497 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:51,920 faithful when Jesus comes and we stand before him at the end of 498 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:57,360 the story? Will he say, well done, good and 499 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,920 faithful? Stewart, come on in. 500 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:03,120 I've been preparing this for you. 501 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:07,560 Look, we don't get in because of our achievements and our works 502 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:10,600 and how great we were, but there is a reward that's at stake. 503 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:15,600 Do we believe him? Do we really believe that this 504 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:19,600 is what's happening? Friends, Revelation challenges 505 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:23,880 us to stay faithful, to persevere, to recover that first 506 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,560 passion, that love that maybe we felt when we first became 507 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:31,240 followers of Jesus. The time may come when we have 508 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:34,960 to risk everything, our freedom, even our very lives. 509 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:39,000 But even in this moment, faithfulness still requires a 510 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:42,680 great deal of sacrifice. Giving away money that could 511 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:46,120 have been used for some great adventure, investing in 512 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:51,280 relationships that might not be easy, sacrificing comfort and 513 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:55,040 time. It doesn't make sense from the 514 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:59,200 calculus of the here and now, but it makes all the sense in 515 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:03,800 the world if we believe that God's perspective is actually 516 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:06,800 true. For instance, we close this 517 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:08,120 morning. The band's going to come. 518 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:15,800 But I want to invite you to consider, as Christians living 519 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:20,240 in Babylon, where do you notice the pull for you? 520 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:26,240 Where do you feel tempted to accommodate, to capitulate? 521 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:30,960 Where is that pull stirring in your life and inviting you, 522 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:34,840 pulling into into the values, into the ideals of your 523 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:37,800 neighbors? It's a little bit of dishonesty, 524 00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:42,960 compromising and integrity shifting off of something you 525 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:47,840 know to be true. Where is the temptation to 526 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:52,840 accommodate showing up for you? And where is Jesus calling you 527 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:57,280 to a costly faithfulness? What would it look like for you 528 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:01,320 to live into a costly faithfulness in light of the 529 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:07,120 coming Kingdom, in light of the reality that the day of the Lord 530 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:11,480 is coming and that we will stand before the Lord? 531 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:17,600 Friends, I want to invite us into prayer in response. 532 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:21,520 And as we do so, I just want to invite you to sit with these 533 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:25,080 questions to consider. Where do I feel tempted to 534 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:28,080 accommodate? Where is Jesus calling me to a 535 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:31,239 costly faithfulness? What would it look like for me 536 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:37,000 to live not as a citizen of Babylon, but as a foreigner, as 537 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:40,480 a guest whose allegiance is to another king? 538 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:48,040 Jesus, we need you. It's so easy, as we swim in the 539 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:56,840 waters of what is very much not your Kingdom, to be discouraged, 540 00:34:56,840 --> 00:35:04,440 to despair, to get lost or distracted, to fall prey to the 541 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:07,360 temptations that seek to seduce us each day. 542 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:12,480 Now, I don't know if it's some consolation that 2000 years ago 543 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:16,720 your people were kind of in the same boat, facing a lot of the 544 00:35:16,720 --> 00:35:22,120 same stuff that we are today. Jesus, we're longing for you to 545 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:26,080 come, for you to once and for all set things right, for you to 546 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:29,880 bring justice, for you to vindicate the oppressed. 547 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:33,080 And also in the meantime, God, we ask for a grace of 548 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:37,040 faithfulness like we need your grace to persevere. 549 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:38,920 God, would you give us the courage? 550 00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:43,600 Would you give us the obedience? Would you give us the faith to 551 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:48,280 live the way of another Kingdom, to trust you and to believe? 552 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:52,920 Pray in Jesus name, Amen.