Participants: Pr. Kenneth Cox
Series Code: RJC
Program Code: RJC000012S
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00:21 And good evening.
00:22 We're very happy to welcome each of you back 00:26 to The Revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:29 And in this series we're covering the prophecies 00:33 that was given to John from the 4th chapter of Revelation 00:39 basically through the 12th chapter. 00:43 Tonight we're looking at chapters 8 and 9 00:48 and part of 11. 00:50 That's what we'll be looking at tonight, 00:52 and so we're very happy that you're here. 00:55 We'd like to especially welcome those that are watching 00:58 by television no matter where you're at. 01:01 We're glad that you've joined us. 01:03 Those that are listening by radio or on the Internet 01:06 thank you for tuning in. 01:08 And we hope that as we talk tonight 01:10 about the Seven Trumpets - 01:13 the Seven Trumpets - that it will help you understand 01:19 the book of Revelation. 01:20 Out of all the prophecies in the book of Revelation 01:23 without question the seven trumpets are the most difficult. 01:28 And so it requires that you follow as best you can 01:33 as we take a look at it tonight. 01:36 We'll be looking at chapters 8 and 9 01:41 and about half - or verses 15 through 18- 01:45 of the 11th chapter on the trumpets. 01:48 Our next presentation will be Time of the End, 01:53 and we'll be looking at Revelation the 10th chapter. 01:57 Now this is much like you just found out in regard 02:01 to the seals. You remember as we studied the seals 02:04 we found out that that 7th chapter 02:07 was kind of an interlude into the seals. 02:11 You have the same thing here. The 10th chapter 02:14 and part of the 11th is an interlude into the trumpets. 02:18 And so you need to look at that in the scripture 02:21 because the seventh trumpet doesn't fall 02:24 until in the 11th chapter. 02:27 So the 10th chapter is put in 02:30 and that's what we'll be looking at as we talk about 02:32 The Time of the End. 02:35 Very, very important subject 02:38 as we continue talking about the prophecies of Revelation. 02:43 And then of course tonight: Seven Trumpets. 02:46 What do you want to look for? 02:48 What you want to look for in the Seven Trumpets is 02:52 God's judgments 02:55 and how they are poured out upon the earth. 02:58 That's what you want to find out as we talk about it. 03:01 So we hope you'll be blessed as we study the Seven Trumpets. 03:06 We're continuing to thank God for having Pam and Jimmy Rhodes 03:12 with us, and Pam's going to sing a song entitled 03:15 Redeemed... a great, great hymn. 03:18 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. 03:20 That's what she'll be singing. 03:22 But before she does, Chuck Allgaier is going to come 03:26 and he's going to read to you the 8th, 9th chapters 03:32 of Revelation and verses 15-18 of the 11th chapter. 03:43 Again tonight if you have your Bibles, 03:45 if you can take them and turn them to Revelation chapter 8. 03:49 I'm going to start there and read Revelation chapter 8, 03:53 9, and I believe it was chapter 11 03:57 15 through 19 I believe. 03:59 Let's turn our Bibles to that right now 04:02 and we'll read together: 04:09 "When he opened the 7th seal there was silence in heaven 04:12 for about 1/2 hour. " 11:20 May the Lord add His blessing to His Word. 11:37 Redeemed - how I love to proclaim it! 11:43 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb! 11:48 Redeemed through His infinite mercy, 11:53 His child, and forever, I am. 11:58 Redeemed, redeemed, 12:03 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; 12:08 Redeemed, redeemed, 12:14 His child, and forever, I am. 12:21 Redeemed - and so happy in Jesus, 12:27 No language my rapture can tell; 12:32 I know that the light of His presence 12:37 With me will continually dwell. 12:42 Redeemed, redeemed, 12:47 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; 12:52 Redeemed, redeemed, 12:58 His child, and forever, I am. 13:10 I think of my blessed Redeemer, 13:15 I think of Him all the day long; 13:20 I sing, for I cannot be silent! 13:26 His love is my theme and my song. 13:34 I know that I shall see in His beauty 13:40 the King in whose law I delight, 13:46 Who lovingly guards every footstep 13:52 And gives me a song in the night. Sing it with me: 13:58 Redeemed, redeemed, 14:03 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; 14:09 Redeemed, redeemed, 14:14 His child, and forever, I am. 14:19 Redeemed, redeemed, 14:25 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; 14:30 Redeemed, redeemed, 14:35 His child, and forever... 14:38 His child, and forever... 14:41 His child, and forever, I am. 14:48 I'm redeemed! 15:11 Our Gracious Lord, 15:14 Tonight we come to You asking that 15:20 in Your mercy and in Your love 15:22 You will look down upon us. 15:26 Give us, Lord, Your Spirit tonight. 15:30 May it give us enlightenment. 15:33 May we see things that You have recorded in Your Word 15:39 for us to know in the time in which we are living in. 15:42 Bless us in a special way in our study this evening 15:48 we ask in Christ's name, Amen. 15:59 We finished the 7th chapter of Revelation 16:04 where we talked about the sealing of God's people. 16:08 We talked about how the sealing was a settling in to the truth 16:12 of God's Word. 16:14 Tonight as we look at the seven trumpets 16:18 we are looking at God's dealing with those that did not 16:22 receive the seal of God... 16:24 have not taken the seal of God, have not received it. 16:27 This is what he's talking to, so let's take a look and see. 16:51 The golden altar that it's talking about there, folks: 16:54 this is it. This is the one they're talking about. 16:57 It was the altar of incense. This was the golden altar. 17:00 And that is what he is there offering the prayers 17:04 of the saints. These are those who have been sealed. 17:17 So here they're praying. 17:19 The angel has brought the prayers of God's people 17:23 before the Lord. 17:25 Concerning what is going on... the condition of things 17:28 that's happening in the earth: 17:40 This marks that they have approached the end of time. 17:46 He has taken the censer, thrown it to the earth 17:50 marking that time has come to an end. 17:54 Trumpets you'll find as you go through God's Word 17:59 studying it... trumpets are blown as a warning. 18:03 This is why they blew the trumpets. They had 18:06 people in the camp that would blow the trumpet as a warning. 18:29 In other words, the trumpet was sounded as a warning 18:33 and people were to take cognizance of that 18:37 and follow the warning that had been given. 18:57 So this is what the trumpets were to do: 19:00 they were sounded as a warning to the people. 19:04 These seven trumpets are an answer 19:09 to the prayers of the souls under the altar. 19:15 Because they are those that if you remember 19:17 had been slain for the Word of God. 19:30 So these judgment are in answer to their prayers... 19:35 what they are. 19:43 Now as I mentioned, of all the prophecies in the 19:48 book of Revelation 19:49 probably the seven trumpets are the most difficult 19:53 to understand. Basically there are three concepts 19:59 of prophecy. And you'll find there is one that goes way 20:02 over here that's called a Predister view. 20:06 And it takes all the prophecies and sticks them in the past 20:10 and says they've all been fulfilled; they have no meaning 20:13 to you whatsoever. 20:15 There's another view way over here 20:20 that is called the Futurist view. 20:23 And the Futurist view simply says this, folks: 20:27 it says all the prophecies in the book of Revelation 20:31 from the 4th chapter of Revelation to the end 20:35 are in the future after the righteous have been taken 20:39 from the earth and they have no effect on you whatsoever. 20:43 That's the Futurist view. 20:45 There's another view that's in between 20:49 that's called the Historical view. 20:52 And the Historical view says that many of the prophecies 20:56 in scripture have been fulfilled and some 21:00 are still to be fulfilled. 21:02 I'd like to tell you that is where I stand. 21:06 OK? Are we clear on that? That is where I stand. 21:10 These prophecies of the judgment - 21:12 as far as I am concerned - 21:14 some of them have not been fulfilled. 21:17 And that... because they are in the future 21:21 does not make a person a Futurist. 21:24 If it did, then people who believe in the second coming 21:27 of Christ or in the millennium would be classified as 21:31 Futurists. OK.. but that's where I stand. I felt it necessary 21:34 that you understand where I am on this subject. 21:38 I am Historic in my belief and that's where I stand. 21:42 OK, let's see if we can take a look at this. 21:48 What do we know that we can say "Yes, this we know? " 21:52 The trumpets are intended to bring people to repentance. 21:56 And as you read through them... as we read through them tonight 21:59 you'll find that it refers to that over and over. 22:02 These are people that have not yet accepted the message 22:07 of God's Word and He's trying to bring them to repentance 22:10 by the judgments. Says: "They repented not. " 22:35 It's running... time is running out on them. 22:44 Those are the chapters that it covers. 23:00 OK? So let's take a look at them. 23:12 This is the trumpet taking place. 23:21 Now as you pick up your Bible, and particularly, folks, 23:24 as we begin to study and as we continue through the book 23:28 of Revelation you're going to find that God speaks 23:31 over and over about a particular city, 23:36 and that city is called Babylon. 23:40 And He talks about His judgment against Babylon. 23:44 And this has to do with Babylon. 23:56 He speaks very clear, and as we continue on in our study 24:00 we're going to find out exactly what's all involved in Babylon 24:05 and all. But this is Satan's kingdom 24:09 and the trumpets are judgments against it. 24:25 So you find here that this is judgment against this city 24:30 of Babylon. And as He says 24:32 the grass and all will be burned up. 24:51 Babylon, we just read, was divided into what? 24:57 Three parts. 24:59 How much of the grass and trees was burned up? 25:02 A third. So see, it's talking about that particularly 25:06 what is happening there to Babylon of old. 25:31 I'm going to show you something. 25:33 I want to make it clear in showing this. 25:35 I don't particularly believe this is the second trumpet, OK? 25:40 I just want to show it to you to show how quickly 25:44 a trumpet like that could be fulfilled. 25:48 OK? Because he says he saw something like a... like what? 25:54 Like a mountain. 25:58 Ever seen anything like a mountain? 26:00 And it was burning with fire and thrown into the sea. 26:08 And because of that the sea became blood. 26:13 Those are actual pictures of the oil spill. 26:20 And a third of the fish in the sea died. 26:26 Now folks, we haven't started to see the results 26:31 of the oil spill. 26:33 I mean, we've only seen the tip of the iceberg. 26:51 It only takes one quart. 27:11 All I'm trying to get across to you is we may read those 27:15 prophecies and say: "Well how could that ever happen? " 27:18 Very, very easy. 27:21 You know, could happen... without question. 27:23 But this is talking, as I said, about Babylon. 27:32 He's talking specifically about Babylon... Babylon... 27:35 and when those prophecies were made about Babylon 27:37 they apply to spiritual Babylon. 27:40 That's what they apply to. 27:48 Babylon as you remember sat there 27:50 and through the city of Babylon flowed the river Euphrates. 27:54 And it's very important that you understand that 27:56 as we look at these trumpets. 28:14 So this is talking about spiritual Babylon 28:18 and what is going to happen to it to be destroyed. 28:31 Fell on how much? See, Babylon's divided into 3 parts. 28:36 So you find just exactly it's talking about fell. 28:53 The trumpets not only have a spiritual application 28:56 but a physical application to the inhabitants of the earth. 29:00 OK, it says he saw a star fall from heaven. 29:06 In the Bible, stars are what? They're angels. 29:11 That's the way it refers to them is angels. 29:19 This is Lucifer. 29:29 This is referring to him. 29:33 Speaking of Lucifer in Revelation the 12th chapter... 29:41 So you have here these stars that Lucifer brought with him 29:46 were the angels. 29:53 So when it talks about this star that fell 29:56 very applicable to the devil himself. 30:06 As we, as it says in the 11th chapter 30:10 we will talk about tonight 30:12 "He will destroy those that destroy the earth. " 30:14 And we're doing a great job at destroying it. 30:32 A third of the sun struck... darkness on the earth. 30:39 You remember one the plagues in Egypt 30:45 was darkness. Remember that? 30:48 Also you remember that it says here that one of the 30:52 seven last plagues is darkness 30:56 on the seat of the beast. 30:58 And so it says the darkness would fall upon them. 31:02 This is the plague... this is Revelation 16 verse 10. 31:06 This is one of the plagues. 31:15 So a very strong parallel between the plagues - 31:19 seven last plagues or that plague - 31:21 and the judgments here or the sounding of the trumpets. 31:40 Now you remember when we studied the seven seals 31:45 we found out that four of them were what? 31:50 Remember? Four of those were men riding on horses 31:55 but the last three weren't. They were different. 31:59 And they applied to mankind... those first four applied to 32:03 mankind in general. 32:05 But then you get to the last three 32:06 and they become more specific. 32:08 Same thing happens here. 32:10 These four trumpets apply to mankind, but now 32:14 all of a sudden you find it begins to turn 32:16 and become much, much more specific 32:19 as to what is going to happen, take place. 32:22 So we come to the fifth one which is the first of the woes. 32:35 I should go back and re-read that. 32:45 In other words, it has already taken place. 32:49 OK. "Fallen to the earth. " 32:52 "To him was given a key to the bottomless pit. " 33:28 So you can see clearly here, this is judgment 33:32 against those who do not have the seal of God 33:35 on their foreheads, OK? 35:01 Let's see if we can put some things together 35:04 about this fifth trumpet that has been blown. 35:15 One that like a star... fallen from heaven. 35:21 Here it says it has fallen from heaven already. 35:24 So this star that it's talking about here 35:27 has a definite application to the devil... 35:30 to Lucifer. He's a fallen angel. Has fallen from heaven. 35:34 And this is what it's referring to when it talks about 35:37 him falling from heaven. 35:45 If you read Revelation 11 it talks about this beast that 35:49 came out of the bottomless pit 35:52 where Satan has spent the millennium. 35:55 If you read Revelation 20, 35:57 it says that's where the devil will spend the millennium. 36:00 So when it talks about a pit or the abyss, 36:03 this is the place where the devil is assigned to. 36:07 It says that it was prepared for the devil and his... 36:10 angels. So this is what that's talking about. 36:14 Locusts. You have these locusts coming 36:17 and in the Old Testament they're used as another symbol 36:21 of judgment. 36:24 And you find very clearly it talks about locusts coming 36:28 on Babylon. It talks about what it would do to them 36:30 there in Jeremiah 51:14. 36:33 It talks about locust as a judgment against Egypt 36:37 in Exodus 10:4-15. 36:40 And so locust are used as a means of God's judgment. 36:45 These locusts are different 36:47 as you notice from what we just read. 36:50 The locust in the fifth trumpet 36:54 must be understood as symbolic. 36:59 Symbols of demonic forces. 37:03 We do not have any locust coming. 37:07 And folks, there's not going to be any locust 37:09 that you're going to see that are going to have 37:11 faces like lions and women's hair and lion's teeth 37:17 and all that. That's not going to be there. 37:19 These are symbols, and they're symbols of demonic forces 37:23 that will take place here in the last days. 37:26 That's what it's talking about 37:28 when it talks about this fifth trumpet that is to be sounded. 37:32 These are signs of judgment 37:35 that's to happen to the people. 37:46 That's the only other place. 37:48 Five months with the flood 37:51 represented five months of destruction. 37:55 And that's the only place that John got that from. 37:58 The five months would be signs of destruction that would 38:02 take place by the judgment of the fifth trumpet 38:06 upon the earth. You have to remember 38:08 that this is God's effort - God's final effort - 38:12 to pull the people away from the things of this earth 38:16 and cause them to repent and come back to God. 38:20 This is what He's doing. 38:22 And so He's pleading with the people, working with them, 38:25 trying to pull them away from this earth 38:28 and get them to accept Him and to follow Him. 38:37 Remember that? Says: "He pulled... " 38:41 It's his tail that he uses. "Has stings in his tail. " 38:44 This is what it's talking about that it's that power. 38:47 It's by... we'll read this in a minute... 38:50 but it's "by his tail and his mouth" 38:53 the scripture says that he deceives and pulls people away. 39:31 Both. And it says clearly there in Revelation 18 verse 6 39:35 that she will receive double on the city... 39:39 spiritual Babylon. This is what takes place. 39:43 So this fifth trumpet is a trumpet that is being poured out 39:48 as a judgment down here at the close of time 39:51 in which He is calling people back. 39:55 Where do you and I stand? 40:02 These trumpets are being poured out on who? 40:06 Those who do not receive the seal of God. 40:10 But it makes it clear that they will not be poured out 40:15 on those that have received the seal of God. 40:17 Those that have the seal of God will be cared for 40:21 and will be protected. That's the marvelous thing about it 40:24 is that God's seal is placed upon His people 40:28 and He says: "They're mine. I will care for them. 40:31 I'll look after them; I'll see that they're cared for. " 40:34 So this is what He does. 40:36 And so these trumpets are against those who do not have 40:40 the seal of God. 40:43 All right... we come to the sixth one. 40:56 This is the four horns of the golden altar... 41:01 altar of incense. 41:03 Heard a voice from there speaking. 41:17 Now this angels... release them. 41:23 Turn them loose. What are these angels holding? 41:27 Yeah, the winds of strife. 41:30 That's what they're holding. He said: "Turn them loose. " 41:32 Please notice that takes place in the sixth trumpet 41:39 because when they turn them loose you know what's 41:42 going to happen? 41:45 The seven last plagues are going to fall. 42:02 They were released... a third of mankind 42:08 would be killed. 42:18 So this isn't a few. Now again, we had a description 42:23 of the locusts, folks, that as you can say 42:26 was very descriptive. 42:28 Well the same thing is true of the sixth plague. 42:31 Very very descriptive of what is happening 42:34 when it talks about them here. 42:54 OK? 43:03 All right. 43:10 What... what are those three plagues? 43:13 By fire, by smoke, and by brimstone 43:17 which came out of their mouths. 43:21 I told you. The thing that happens here: it has a mouth 43:25 and tail. Very, very important. 43:43 So these horses 43:49 that they are riding on and these men, 43:52 they are going to do harm to the earth. 44:14 See, He's making an effort, folks, to get them to repent, 44:17 to change their ways. 44:27 They didn't change; they didn't repent. 44:30 OK, let's take a look at the sixth trumpet. 44:35 See what's involved. 44:37 The four angels are those in chapter 7. 44:41 Those are the four angels that are holding back 44:44 the winds of strife. 44:46 And those four angels that are there are bound where? 44:51 At the River Euphrates. 44:54 And the River Euphrates flows through what? 44:57 Through Babylon, OK? 45:00 So when you come to that... 45:03 let me just take a moment to show you 45:05 what I'm trying to get across to you. 45:07 The River Euphrates flows through Babylon, 45:11 and it says here that they're bound at the River Euphrates. 45:17 When you go to Revelation and read about the 7 last plagues 45:21 the sixth plague speaks about the River Euphrates what? 45:26 Being dried up. 45:29 OK, this is all... has meaning in reference to God's Word 45:33 here... what happens. 45:50 In other words, it's not trying to tell you prophetic time. 45:54 It's trying to say that God had decided on the day, 45:58 the hour, the month, the year 45:59 in which He is going to release those four angels. 46:04 And when He releases those four angels, 46:07 dear friend, THEN you're dealing with the time in which 46:10 probation has closed and it's over. 46:13 And so that... that's what it's talking about when it 46:16 talks about the day, the hour, and the month, the year. 46:19 That is where God has decided that it come to an end. 46:24 That those are to be released. 46:34 Just the same as when you read scripture and it says 46:37 there was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands 46:40 of thousands. This is the same thing. 46:43 It's talking about a complete number. 46:46 That 200,000,000 is innumerable. 46:50 Innumerable company of them. 46:52 That was this army. These are, again, folks, 46:57 I want to clarify: these are demonic forces 47:00 that are working at the end of time. 47:03 When fire, smoke, and sulphur is used in scripture 47:08 it is connected with judgment... always. 47:12 Do you remember the colors? 47:16 Hmmm? 47:18 What were the three colors? 47:20 Red, blue, and yellow. 47:24 Did you notice that fire, smoke, and sulphur 47:28 are those three colors? 47:31 See, that all fits together. It's the judgment 47:35 that goes against the people that are unwilling 47:39 to follow God. Unwilling to walk with Him and do His bidding. 47:47 OK. 47:54 Now I want to clarify what I mean by that. 47:57 I don't mean to say that there's not physical conflict here... 48:00 there is. 48:02 And without question as those are poured out 48:04 upon the earth there will be 48:07 great suffering and death from it. 48:10 But the conflict is more spiritual than it is physical. 48:15 And that's why it says it's in their mouths 48:18 and in their tails. Because in this conflict, 48:23 folks, more is involved in the mouth 48:26 than any other thing. Listen: 48:40 That's... I'm reading II Corinthians 10 verse 4. 48:43 And it says what the what? The what? 48:46 The weapons, OK? The weapons of our warfare 48:50 are not carnal. They're not physical. 48:53 "But mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 48:57 casting down" what? "arguments, 49:00 and every high thing that exalts itself against 49:03 the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity 49:07 to the obedience of Christ. " 49:09 This is important because the words 49:14 have tremendous power. 49:17 That's what it's talking about. 49:19 And so by their words they stand. 49:22 And by the devil's deception - by the things he does - 49:26 by word of mouth is what it's talking about. 49:29 Revelation again 49:34 the 16th chapter where it talks about the plagues there 49:37 it said "I saw three unclean spirits come out of the... " 49:41 what? "Out of the mouth of the beast, 49:46 the dragon, the false prophet. " 49:48 Those were... In other words, that's why they're coming out 49:51 of the mouth is because it's by deception, 49:54 by the power of the mouth, that this takes place. 50:11 This is where the conflict is, and that's why it says 50:15 "Out of their mouth" goes these things. 50:18 I have a friend of mine here tonight - Sherry, 50:23 who's an attorney - and she, I think, could very 50:26 vouch for the fact that it's the words in court that 50:30 counts... that makes a great difference. 50:33 That's where the power of the argument is in that. 50:36 And so this is what it's trying to tell you and I: 50:39 that this is where the conflict is. 50:41 And so the sixth trumpet takes place. 50:46 When those trumpets are sounded, folks, 50:49 that sixth one is sounded, then after that 50:55 it's over. That's God's last appeal 50:59 to try to get mankind to repent and come to Him. 52:05 Do you know why the temple all of a sudden in heaven 52:08 is open? 52:10 Because Christ has left. 52:13 His mediation on behalf of man, pleading for man, 52:19 has come to an end. He's walked out. 52:21 Over. He's taken off His robes 52:24 as the Priest... as the High Priest... 52:29 as the Mediator and He's put on His robes as the King of Kings 52:33 and the Lord of Lords. 52:36 And so these are judgments that take place 52:39 down at the end of time. 52:42 So I would tell you, study the book of Revelation. 52:45 Study what's happening there, 52:47 and God will direct, help you and I understand 52:52 what is to happen and take place 52:54 just before Jesus comes back. 52:56 Let us pray. 52:58 Father in Heaven, 53:01 we come to You tonight asking that You would 53:04 give us... give us the assurance. 53:09 Give to each one that's listening, 53:12 watching on television, here... 53:16 May they have the assurance of salvation in Christ. 53:21 May they be sealed by Your blood. 53:25 May all of us look to You, cling to You, 53:30 place our lives in Your hands, 53:34 walk with You in all that we do. 53:37 May we desire above all else 53:42 to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. 53:46 We're thankful to know that You're there... 53:49 that You're our Savior, 53:53 that You're by our side and we can depend upon You. 53:57 For we have salvation in no other name but Jesus Christ. 54:03 For this we ask in Your name, Amen. 54:10 Well, we move into the next presentation 54:14 into the 10th chapter. We're still dealing with the 54:19 time of the trumpets 54:21 because the trumpets deal with the 10th and 11th chapters. 54:25 It's not until the end of the 11th chapter 54:27 that we come to the end of the trumpets. 54:30 So this 10th chapter of Revelation 54:34 is again kind of an interlude 54:36 that God is putting in there that tells us 54:40 what is happening to His people... 54:42 God's people here in the last days. 54:45 That's what He's helping us to know and understand. 54:48 So it's a... it's a very, very vital chapter. 54:51 I think it's a great chapter 54:54 because it deals with the coming of Jesus Christ. 54:57 That's what it talks about: great coming of our Lord. 55:01 We're thankful for that promise of hope that we have in Him 55:04 as our Lord and Savior. 55:06 So we hope that you will be blessed as we continue 55:09 to take a look at it. And then, of course, we'll 55:12 look at the 11th chapter, and that will bring us to the end 55:16 of the trumpets. So have a good evening. 55:19 God bless you, and be faithful to the Lord. 55:22 And we'll see you again in our next presentation. 55:26 Good night; God bless you. 55:34 Every day thousands risk their lives to protect and serve 55:38 their fellow man. 55:40 They have a deep commitment to excellency in teamwork 55:43 and when others run from danger, they run to it... 55:47 even if it means personal sacrifice. 55:49 Even if it means making the supreme sacrifice for another. 55:54 They're always on call, ready to serve no matter what. 55:58 Friends, you and I can learn a lot from firefighters. 56:02 In the United States, the majority of them are volunteers. 56:05 That's right... volunteers. 56:08 But even for those who are paid it's more than a job... 56:11 it's a calling. 56:13 Jesus said in John 15 verses 12 and 13: 56:17 "This is My commandment: 56:19 that you love one another as I have loved you. 56:22 Greater love has no one than this: 56:24 than to lay down one's life for his friends. " 56:27 Those who follow the words of Jesus are His friends. 56:31 But Romans 5:8 says that "God demonstrated His own love 56:34 towards us in that while we were still sinners 56:37 Christ died for us. " 56:39 What an amazing thought! 56:41 Christ laid down His life for us 56:44 even though we were not His friends. 56:47 A firefighter is willing to do the same. 56:50 He's constantly preparing for his next mission 56:53 because his own life and the life of others 56:56 depends on his training and qualifications. 56:59 My friends, that's what we're doing right now 57:02 with this series: we are preparing you 57:05 for what is to come. 57:07 Our goal is to make you skilled in the Word 57:10 so that by the power of God you can bring others to safety - 57:13 the safety that can be found only 57:16 in the arms of a loving Savior. 57:18 Won't you help us to train and prepare others 57:21 to fulfill this mission? 57:23 Please consider what you can for those who 57:25 still don't know about Jesus. 57:27 As the Holy Spirit impresses, 57:29 please send your tax-deductible gifts to: 57:44 Thank you for helping us spread the light of God's Word 57:47 through television. 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Revised 2023-01-10