Participants: Pr. John Carter
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR001010
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:07 >> FROM ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, THE CARTER REPORT PRESENTS 00:10 "THE LIVING WORD AROUND THE WORLD." 00:17 >> HELLO, FRIEND. 00:18 I'M JOHN CARTER WITH A VERY SPECIAL MESSAGE JUST FOR YOU. 00:23 I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU AND ME TO TELL THE WORLD 00:27 ABOUT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. 00:29 YOU KNOW, FRIEND, WHEN I TURN IN MY BIBLE TO REVELATION 14, 00:34 I READ THERE OF A WORLDWIDE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL 00:40 IN THE SETTING OF SOME VERY AMAZING TRUTHS. 00:43 AND THAT IS WHY THE CARTER REPORT RIGHT NOW 00:45 IS WORKING IN CHINA. 00:47 ISN'T THAT AMAZING? 00:48 ALSO IN INDIA. 00:50 WE'RE TELECASTING IN INDIA. 00:52 AND VERY SHORTLY, WE'RE GOING TO AFRICA. 00:55 AND WHEN WE GO TO AFRICA, THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST IS GOING 00:58 TO BE TELECAST RIGHT ACROSS THAT GREAT CONTINENT AND MILLIONS 01:03 OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO 01:06 THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST. 01:09 I'M ASKING TODAY FOR YOUR HELP AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP. 01:14 I WANT YOU TO WRITE TO ME, PLEASE. 01:17 AND I WANT YOU TO SUPPORT US IN THIS WORLDWIDE EVANGELISM. 01:22 AND WHEN YOU DO SO, I WANT TO SEND YOU TWO DVDs. 01:28 TWO DVDs. 01:31 ONE IS ABOUT HOW TO SURVIVE THE COMING FINANCIAL MELTDOWN, 01:37 AND THE SECOND ONE IS ABOUT THE HEALTH CRISIS THAT IS JUST 01:41 ABOUT BLOWING AMERICA APART, BUT IT CONCERNS MY FRIENDS 01:45 ALSO IN AUSTRALIA. 01:48 SO PLEASE SUPPORT US IN THIS GREAT WORK, AND WHEN YOU 01:51 SUPPORT US, I'LL SEND YOU THESE TWO DVDs. 01:56 WRITE TO ME, JOHN CARTER, POST OFFICE BOX 1900, 01:59 THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA, 91358. 02:02 IN AUSTRALIA, WRITE TO ME AT TERRIGAL. 02:06 SUPPORT US IN THIS GREAT OUTREACH TO THE WORLD. 02:10 LET CHRIST BE KNOWN AND MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU. 02:15 WRITE TO ME PLEASE, TODAY. 02:22 >> I'D LIKE TO SAY IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU 02:25 AND SEE MY FRIENDS, AND TO WELCOME THE PEOPLE WHO ARE 02:28 WATCHING ON 3ABN. 02:31 AND JUST BEFORE I BEGIN MY MESSAGE, I'D LIKE TO JUST PAY 02:34 A LITTLE TRIBUTE TO JOHN. 02:35 HE'S BEEN A PERSONAL FRIEND OF MINE FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS. 02:39 IF I TELL YOU HOW LONG, YOU'LL KNOW HOW OLD WE ARE. 02:42 IT GOES BACK TO AVONDALE DAYS, BUT PARTICULARLY WHEN 02:45 THE DIFFICULT TIMES CAME IN MID-MINISTRY. 02:49 NOW MANY PEOPLE DON'T APPRECIATE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS 02:52 TO BE AN EVANGELIST. 02:53 IT IS VERY DIFFICULT. 02:55 I HAD AN ADMINISTRATOR WHO HAD BEEN A UNION PRESIDENT AND ALSO 02:58 A UNION EVANGELIST BEFORE THAT, AND HE SAID TO ME HOW 03:03 THE STRAIN OF BEING AN ADMINISTRATOR WAS NOTHING 03:05 TO THE STRESSES AND STRAINS OF BEING AN EVANGELIST. 03:09 AND UNLESS YOU'VE STOOD BEFORE AN AUDIENCE OF THOUSANDS, YOU 03:12 DON'T REALIZE JUST WHAT GOES THROUGH AN EVANGELIST BEFORE 03:15 THE PROGRAM STARTS. 03:16 WILL THE PEOPLE COME? 03:18 WILL I DELIVER A GOOD MESSAGE? 03:20 YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IN CHURCH SERVICES, YOU MAY PREACH 03:23 A WEAK MESSAGE. 03:24 THAT CAN HAPPEN. 03:25 I'VE DONE SOME TERRIBLE SERMONS I'D NEVER PREACH AGAIN, BUT THE 03:28 PEOPLE COME BACK NEXT SABBATH, DON'T THEY? 03:31 BUT IN AN EVANGELISTIC PROGRAM, THERE'S A SORT OF PRESSURE 03:34 UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN AN EVANGELIST YOU WOULD NEVER 03:36 APPRECIATE. 03:38 YOU PREACH A WEAK MESSAGE AND THE NEXT MEETING THE PEOPLE 03:40 ARE NOT THERE. 03:42 AND SO IF YOU SEE PASTOR CARTER GOING UP AND DOWN LIKE A TIGER 03:45 BEFORE THE MEETINGS, YOU WON'T APPRECIATE, PROBABLY LIKE I DO, 03:49 THE PRESSURES HE'S GONE THROUGH. 03:51 AND YET, HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO GO THROUGH THAT BECAUSE 03:53 HE HAS A VERY GOOD WIFE IN BEVERLEY CARTER, 03:56 WHO HAS SUCH STRONGLY SUPPORTED HIS WORK AND HIS 03:59 MINISTRY. 04:00 AND I'D LIKE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO HER TOO. 04:02 HE COULD NEVER HAVE DONE THE WORK HE'S DONE WITHOUT THE 04:05 BACKING OF HIS WIFE, BEVERLEY. 04:07 AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO PAY A TRIBUTE TO THIS CHURCH, TOO, 04:10 BECAUSE HE HAS A BASE TO OPERATE FROM HERE AS WELL. 04:14 AND TO KNOW HE CAN COME HOME AND HE AND I WILL BE CROSSING 04:17 IN MID-AIR, HOPEFULLY NOT THAT WAY, BUT THAT WAY. 04:21 AND WHEN WE CROSS, HE WILL COME BACK TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BACKING 04:25 HIM AND SUPPORTING HIM IN SO MANY WAYS. 04:28 AND I KNOW HE'S TOLD ME WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT MAKES TO HAVE 04:30 FAITHFUL FOLK HERE AS A BACKBONE OF HIS MINISTRY. 04:35 AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PEOPLE ON 3ABN WHO ALSO GIVE 04:38 AND HELP TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE FOR PROGRAMS IN RUSSIA 04:42 AND CHINA AND SOUTH AFRICA COMING UP. 04:45 THAT'S EXCITING, ISN'T IT? 04:46 AND I THINK THAT TOGETHER WE CAN SEE SOME FRUITAGE OF 04:51 A HARVEST OF SOULS IN CHURCHES FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD, 04:54 AND I THANK GOD AND PRAISE GOD FOR THAT. 04:57 AND TO ME IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE AND TO OCCUPY 04:59 THIS PULPIT THAT JOHN NORMALLY OCCUPIES. 05:04 YOU KNOW, THIS SERMON TITLE THIS MORNING, "BEHOLD THE LION, 05:08 SEE THE LAMB," TO ME HAS SOMETHING VERY, VERY SPECIAL 05:11 TO SAY FOR US. 05:13 REMEMBER, THE MESSAGE WAS FIRST GIVEN TO SEVEN CHURCHES THERE 05:17 IN ASIA MINOR IN THE FIRST CENTURY. 05:20 AND THAT CHURCH WAS ABOUT TO GO THROUGH SOME VERY 05:22 DIFFICULT TIMES. 05:24 UP TILL NOW, THE CHURCH HAD NOT BEEN NOTICED SO MUCH BY THE 05:27 ROMANS BECAUSE THEY WERE SEEN AS PART OF JUDAISM. 05:33 AND WHILE THE CHURCH IS NOT SO BIG THAT IT'S NOTICED, IT SEEMS 05:39 TO EXIST BUT IN A FAIRLY REASONABLE WAY. 05:43 BUT AS IT BEGINS TO GROW AND MAKE CONVERTS, AND SOME JEWS 05:47 BECOME CHRISTIANS AND GENTILES BEGIN TO JOIN THE CHURCH, 05:50 THEN THEY COME UNDER A LOT MORE NOTICE. 05:52 AND NOW THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IS ABOUT TO GET INTO REAL TROUBLE. 05:56 YOU KNOW, IT'S EVANGELISM THAT CAUSES A STIR, ISN'T IT? 05:59 WHEN A CHURCH BEGINS TO EVANGELIZE AND GROW, WATCH HOW 06:03 THE DEVIL WILL ROAR AND TRY TO INTIMIDATE AND BREAK UP 06:07 AND DIVIDE AND DISCOURAGE. 06:09 CHRISTIANS WERE TREATED WITH SUSPICION. 06:12 THEY WERE TREATED WITH SUSPICION BECAUSE THEY HAD 06:14 NO IMAGE OF THEIR GOD. 06:15 THEY WERE LOOKED UPON AS ATHEISTS. 06:18 IT WAS ALSO CLAIMED THAT THE CHRISTIANS WERE CANNIBALS, 06:21 WHERE THEY ACTUALLY ATE THEIR GOD IN THE COMMUNION SERVICE, 06:26 WHICH THE PAGANS NEVER UNDERSTOOD. 06:29 AND BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO WORSHIP CAESAR AS A GOD, 06:34 THIS ALSO WAS A VERY BIG ISSUE, WHICH WAS BEGINNING TO LOOM 06:37 AND BECAME EVEN BIGGER. 06:39 TO GIVE AN OFFERING, TO PINCH THE SALT IF MAY BE TO CAESAR, 06:44 WAS SEEN AS POLITICAL LOYALTY. 06:46 YOU COULD GO AWAY AND WORSHIP ANY OTHER GOD YOU LIKED, 06:48 SO LONG AS YOU ALSO INCLUDED CAESAR. 06:51 EMPEROR WORSHIP. 06:53 AND YOU DID THIS, OF COURSE, IN THE TEMPLE. 06:56 AND IN THESE CITIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THE BOOK OF 06:59 REVELATION, YOU HAVE THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING IN THE CITY 07:03 IS THE TEMPLE. 07:04 HERE'S WHERE THE EMPEROR WORSHIP TOOK PLACE. 07:07 THIS IS WHERE ALL THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL LIFE 07:10 TOOK PLACE. 07:11 THERE WERE TRADE GUILDS AND THERE WAS LIKE A BANK 07:14 THAT GAVE OUT LOANS. 07:15 AND IT WAS ALSO THE CENTER OF THIS PAGAN WORSHIP, WHICH WAS 07:20 INCLUDED SACRED PROSTITUTION OF BOTH MALE AND FEMALE. 07:26 AND IF YOU WERE NOT CAUGHT UP IN THIS AND DOING THIS, 07:29 YOU WERE SEEN TO BE DISLOYAL TO THE CITY, BECAUSE THIS WAS 07:32 NECESSARY TO HARVEST THE CROPS AND BRING THE GOOD SEASONS 07:36 AND THE RAIN. 07:37 AND SO IT WAS AWKWARD FOR CHRISTIANS. 07:39 YOU KNOW, INTERESTING IN ASIA MINOR AT THAT TIME, 07:43 THERE WERE NO ROMAN LEGIONS. 07:46 THERE WERE PLENTY OF ROMAN LEGIONS THERE IN PALESTINE 07:49 BECAUSE THE JEWS WERE ALWAYS WANTING TO REVOLT, BUT IN ASIA 07:53 MINOR THE ROMANS DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE LEGIONS BECAUSE 07:57 THE CITIES WERE VERY PRO-ROMAN. 08:01 THEY LIKED THE EMPEROR. 08:02 THEY LIKED THE PEACE AND THE PROSPERITY THAT CAME 08:05 THROUGH ROME. 08:06 AND SO THESE CITIES WERE INCLINED TO HAVE CHRISTIANS, 08:11 WHICH WOULD COMPROMISE THEIR FAITH. 08:13 YOU SEE, THESE PEOPLE IN THESE CITIES ARE NOT ALL THE SAME. 08:18 THESE CITIES OF EPHESUS AND SMYRNA, THE SEVEN CHURCHES 08:21 TO WHOM THE BOOK OF REVELATION WAS FIRST WRITTEN. 08:24 YOU KNOW, SOME WERE RICH AND INCREASED WITH GOODS 08:27 AND FELT NEED OF NOTHING. 08:28 SOME WERE WATERING DOWN THEIR FAITH. 08:30 SOME WERE COMPROMISING. 08:32 SOME WERE REMAINING LOYAL. 08:33 THEY'RE--IT WAS REALLY A VERY MIXED MESS. 08:37 AND I'D SAY MESS IN SOME RESPECTS BECAUSE CHURCHES ARE 08:40 MESSY PLACES, AREN'T THEY? 08:42 ARE MESSY PLACES. 08:43 THEY'RE WHERE SINNERS ARE, WITH A VARIETY OF PEOPLE. 08:46 YOU KNOW, I OFTEN LIKEN THE CHURCH TO MY HOUSE WHEN 08:49 MY GRANDCHILDREN COME. 08:50 IF YOU HAVE GRANDCHILDREN, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN. 08:53 DEALING WITH THEM ONE BY ONE IN THEIR HOUSE IS DIFFERENT 08:55 TO HAVING FOUR OF THEM IN YOUR HOME AT THE SAME TIME. 08:58 AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME INTO THAT HOUSE AND JUST 09:01 IN A FEW MOMENTS THEY TRANSFORM THE WHOLE PLACE. 09:03 THE PLACE JUST LOOKS, DARE I SAY IT, I HATE TO OFFEND THEM, 09:07 BUT IT LOOKS A MESS. 09:10 BUT WE LOVE TO HAVE IT BECAUSE THEY'RE OUR GRANDKIDS. 09:13 BUT CHURCHES ARE MESSY TOO. 09:15 THEY'RE NOT DISPLAY HOMES, WHICH ALWAYS LOOK NEAT 09:18 AND NIGHT--NICE AND TIDY. 09:20 BUT JOHN TAKES UP HIS PEN. 09:22 JESUS APPEARS TO HIM AND GIVES HIM A MESSAGE. 09:25 AND THIS MESSAGE THAT COMES FROM JESUS IS THE REASON WE 09:27 SHOULD TAKE THIS BOOK OF REVELATION SO SERIOUSLY. 09:31 HE SEES HIM HERE IN REVELATION 1, AND THE SECOND 09:34 HALF OF THE CHAPTER DEALS WITH THIS VISION OF JESUS, 09:38 BUT REMEMBER REVELATION IS A BOOK THAT COMES FROM JESUS. 09:41 THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT, WELL, SHOULD WE WORRY 09:46 ABOUT REVELATION? 09:47 SOME PEOPLE SORT OF THINK, WELL, IT'S AN OPTION YOU CAN 09:49 TAKE OR LEAVE. 09:51 BUT REMEMBER, REVELATION COMES FROM JESUS. 09:54 HE'S RIGHT THERE IN THE FIRST CHAPTER, AND IN REVELATION 1, 09:58 AND READING HERE IN VERSE 3 THERE'S A SPECIAL BLESSING 10:02 WHICH IS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO READ THIS BOOK. 10:04 REVELATION 1, AND READING HERE IN VERSE 3. 10:09 "BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO READS THE WORDS OF THIS PROPHECY, AND 10:13 BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HEAR IT AND TAKE TO HEART WHAT IS 10:16 WRITTEN IN IT, BECAUSE THE TIME IS NEAR." 10:21 WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO START OFF A BOOK. 10:23 IF YOU READ THIS BOOK, IF YOU HEAR IT--REMEMBER, MOST PEOPLE 10:26 WHO GOT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE IN THE FIRST CENTURY 10:29 WERE HEARERS. 10:31 AND IF WE WERE DOING WHAT THE BOOK WAS MEANT TO DO, THIS 10:34 MORNING I WOULD TAKE THIS BOOK AND READ IT THROUGH IN ONE GO. 10:39 AND I WOULD SUGGEST YOU OUGHT TO DO THAT SOMETIME. 10:41 TAKE THE BOOK, FIND A TRANSLATION YOU FEEL 10:44 COMFORTABLE WITH, AND JUST READ IT THROUGH. 10:47 YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND ALL OF IT, BUT THE BOOK WILL MAKE 10:50 AN IMPACT UPON YOU. 10:52 IT WILL MAKE A VERY BIG IMPACT. 10:54 AND WE WOULD SAY THAT THIS BOOK HAS A MESSAGE FOR ALL 10:57 CHRISTIANS THROUGHOUT HISTORY WHO HAVE FELT THIS BOOK COME 11:01 TO THEM IN A VERY, VERY SPECIAL WAY. 11:04 AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU READ THIS BOOK, THERE ARE ALL THESE 11:07 TYPES OF VISUAL IMAGES THAT COME ON THROUGH AS YOU BEGIN 11:10 TO READ. 11:11 AND YOU'LL SEE THE IMAGES OF HORSEMEN RIDING, HORSE-- 11:16 THESE FOUR HORSEMEN. 11:17 AND IT TAKES ME BACK TO MY DAYS WHEN BEFORE WE HAD TELEVISION. 11:21 NOW, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU FOR A CONFESSION. 11:23 THIS'LL SAY--TELL ME HOW OLD YOU ARE. 11:25 HOW MANY CAN REMEMBER THE DAYS BEFORE TELEVISION? 11:33 OKAY. 11:34 WE SAT BY THE RADIO, DIDN'T WE? 11:35 AND WE LISTENED TO THE RADIO PROGRAMS. 11:38 AND WE PROBABLY HAD DIFFERENT PROGRAMS TO YOU. 11:41 MY MOTHER USED TO LIKE TO LISTEN TO "WHEN A GIRL MARRIES" 11:43 AND ALL THOSE SORT OF ROMANTIC SORT OF STORIES, AND I USED 11:47 TO LIKE TO LISTEN TO SUPERMAN. 11:49 SUPERMAN WAS MY HERO WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY BECAUSE HE ALWAYS 11:53 PUT THING RIGHT, BUT WE WERE LISTENING TO THE RADIO 11:56 AND WE SAW IT IN OUR MINDS. 11:59 WE HAD THE ABILITY, WHICH I THINK TO SOME DEGREE WE HAVE 12:02 LOST TODAY, THE ABILITY TO SEE THINGS IN OUR MINDS. 12:07 WELL, I GOT DISILLUSIONED ONE DAY WHEN I WENT TO A RADIO 12:11 PROGRAM WHERE THEY ACTUALLY HAD A RADIO PROGRAM 12:13 BEING BROADCAST. 12:14 AND I SAW THEM ALL STANDING AROUND CLASHING CYMBALS, 12:17 BANGING THINGS, AND CAUSING THINGS TO HAPPEN. 12:19 AND THEY WERE JUST READING SCRIPTS. 12:21 AND, WELL, THAT WASN'T THE MENTAL IMAGE I HAD, BUT WE NEED 12:26 TO DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO SEE IMAGES AND IN REVELATION 12:29 WE HAVE THESE IMAGES COMING THROUGH. 12:31 WE HAVE THIS--THE FOUR HORSEMEN COMING OUT AND WE HAVE THESE 12:34 OTHER IMAGES, WHICH WE'LL BRING ON QUICKLY. 12:37 JUST THE IMAGES OF DEMONIC FORCES AND ALL TYPES OF IMAGES 12:41 COMING THROUGH. 12:43 AND THESE, NO DOUBT, MADE A POWERFUL IMPACT UPON 12:46 THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE IN THE VERY FIRST CENTURY. 12:49 A WOMAN STANDING ON THE MOON, CLOTHED IN THE SUN. 12:52 THE GREAT, RED DRAGON. 12:53 HERE WE HAVE THE BINDING OF SATAN FOR 1,000 YEARS. 12:56 WE HAVE THESE ALL IN OUR SEMINAR, WHICH I'VE BEEN 12:59 WORKING ON NOW WITH JON PAULIEN AND OUR BIBLICAL RESEARCH 13:02 COMMITTEE FOR 5 YEARS. 13:04 AND YOU ARE PROBABLY THE ONES NOW ABOUT TO LAUNCH OUT TO IT 13:07 IN THIS CHURCH. 13:08 AND I'M GLAD. 13:10 WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE PROPHECIES 13:13 OF REVELATION. 13:14 SO THESE IMAGES COME ON AND THEY ARE WRITTEN 13:17 TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES. 13:18 THE TIME IS NEAR, SAYS JOHN, AND THE BOOK FINISHES 13:22 THE SAME WAY. 13:23 IT--DO NOT SEAL UP THE VISION BECAUSE THE TIME IS NEAR. 13:28 BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT REVELATION, REVELATION ALSO HAS A STATEMENT 13:32 IN CHAPTER 1 VERSE 7, WHICH LINKS UP WITH 13:36 MATTHEW 24:30-31. 13:39 AND SOME OF YOU MAY LIKE TO OPEN YOUR BIBLE 13:42 TO REVELATION 1:7, OTHERS TO MATTHEW 24:30-31 13:47 BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN JOHN WRITES THE REVELATION, THE BOOK 13:50 OF REVELATION, INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT COMING FROM JESUS, 13:55 JOHN DOESN'T WRITE UP IN HIS GOSPEL THE STORY THAT JESUS 14:01 GAVE FROM THE MOUNT OF OLIVES ON THE END OF THE WORLD. 14:04 NOW MATTHEW, MARK, AND LUKE HAVE GOT IT. 14:06 BUT YOU LOOK FOR THAT FAMOUS SERMON THAT JESUS GAVE ON THE 14:09 END OF THE WORLD, AND YOU DON'T FIND IT IN JOHN'S GOSPEL. 14:12 THE REASON THIS IS THE CASE IS PROBABLY HE CONSIDERED 14:16 THAT HE HAD DEALT WITH IT IN REVELATION. 14:20 AND IN REVELATION, WE HAVE A VERY CONNECTING LINK WITH 14:25 THE SERMON THAT JESUS GAVE ON THE END OF THE WORLD. 14:28 AND IF THIS LINK IS CORRECT, AND I BELIEVE IT IS TRUE, THEN 14:31 WE ARE RIGHT AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT REVELATION IS AN UNFOLDING 14:36 OF PROPHECIES ALL THROUGH THE CENTURY TO REACH A FINAL CLIMAX 14:39 WITH WHAT WE SPOKE OF LAST WEEK, THE BEAST, THE IMAGE, 14:42 AND THE MARK OF THE END OF TIME. 14:45 WE BELIEVE THAT THOSE WHO RESTRICT REVELATION TO THE VERY 14:48 FIRST CENTURY ONLY ARE WRONG. 14:52 THOSE WHO SAY REVELATION'S PROPHECIES BEGIN TO HAPPEN FROM 14:55 CHAPTER FOUR ONWARDS AFTER THE SECRET RAPTURE WE BELIEVE HAVE 15:01 MISSED THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOK. 15:03 THIS MESSAGE OF REVELATION GIVES HOPE, MEANING, PURPOSE 15:07 TO ALL CHRISTIANS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN ERA. 15:11 GOD DOES NOT TURN OFF THE LIGHT OF PROPHECY AND LEAVE 15:14 HIS CHURCH IN DARKNESS. 15:16 NOW, AS YOU LOOK AT THESE TEXTS AND YOU COMPARE THEM, 15:19 YOU CAN SEE A CONNECTING LINK. 15:20 REVELATION 1:7. 15:22 "LOOK, HE'S COMING WITH CLOUDS. 15:23 EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIM, EVEN THOSE WHO PIERCED HIM. 15:27 ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH WILL MOURN BECAUSE OF HIM." 15:30 YOU WOULD ALMOST THINK THAT JOHN HAD THE TEXT OF MATTHEW 15:35 OPEN BEFORE HIM. 15:36 HE IS COMING WITH CLOUDS, THERE'S A MOURNING. 15:39 YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL THERE AND JOHN REALLY IS REALLY TAKING 15:44 THIS SERMON THAT JESUS GAVE ON THE END OF THE WORLD AND 15:47 DEVELOPING IT IN A MEANINGFUL WAY THROUGHOUT HISTORY. 15:50 YOU MAY LIKE TO DO AN EXERCISE YOURSELF SOMETIME. 15:53 AND IT'S GOOD TO THINK YOURSELF, AND TO LEARN 15:55 AND TO GROW AND DISCOVER. 15:57 AS WE LEARN AND GROW IN GOD'S WORD, IT'S THRILLING. 16:00 IT REALLY IS. 16:01 BRINGS VITALITY AND STRENGTH TO OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE 16:04 AND CONVICTIONS. 16:05 BUT SOMETIME, TAKE A LOOK AT THAT LIST OF MATTHEW 24. 16:08 LET'S OPEN OUR BIBLES TO IT. 16:11 MATTHEW 24. 16:15 AND HERE WE HAVE THIS SERMON THAT JESUS GAVE ON THE END 16:18 OF THE WORLD. 16:19 AND REMEMBER, HE LINKS THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM WITH 16:22 THE END OF THE WORLD BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE JERUSALEM 16:26 IS DESTROYED IS LIKE A LITTLE MINIATURE, WHICH DEVELOPS 16:30 THROUGH HISTORY AND IS CLIMAXED IN A WORLDWIDE EVENT AT THE END 16:35 OF TIME, LEADING UP TO THE COMING OF CHRIST. 16:37 AND YOU MAY LIKE A LOOK AT THAT LIST IN MATTHEW 24:6-8. 16:42 AND IT SAYS HERE OF WHAT HISTORY WILL BE LIKE. 16:47 "YOU WILL HEAR OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS, BUT SEE 16:49 TO IT YOU ARE NOT ALARMED. 16:52 SUCH THINGS MUST HAPPEN, BUT THE END IS STILL TO COME. 16:55 NATION WILL RISE AGAINST NATION, AND KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM. 16:58 THERE WILL BE FAMINES AND EARTHQUAKES IN VARIOUS PLACES. 17:01 ALL THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PAINS." 17:05 NOW, IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTICE THAT--HOW HE LIKENS THIS. 17:10 WARS, FAMINES, EARTHQUAKES, AND LUKE ADDS PESTILENCES TO 17:14 THE LIST IN HIS ACCOUNT OF IT. 17:16 FALSE CHRISTS AND FALSE PROPHETS ARE LIKE BIRTH PAINS. 17:19 NOW, LET ME FINISH WHAT I AM GOING TO SAY. 17:23 THIS MIGHT STARTLE YOU. 17:25 I'M SO GLAD AND RELIEVED I'M NOT A WOMAN. 17:28 NOW, LET ME FINISH. 17:30 LET ME FINISH. 17:32 I'M TOO MUCH OF A COWARD. 17:35 I HAVE SEEN MY WIFE DELIVER A CHILD AND I'D SAY TO MYSELF, 17:40 "A WOMAN MUST BADLY WANT TO HAVE A CHILD TO GO THROUGH THAT." 17:44 IT IS. 17:45 IT IS. 17:46 THEY--SOME WOMEN DO DIE. 17:48 AND THEY DO COME CLOSE TO DEATH, OTHERS. 17:51 BUT, YOU KNOW, BIRTH PAINS, FROM WHAT I AM TOLD, ARE 17:58 GENTLE, BECOME MORE FREQUENT, MORE AND MORE FREQUENT, 18:02 MORE AND MORE INTENSE UNTIL THE BABY JUST POPS OUT. 18:05 IS THAT RIGHT? 18:07 NO, YOU'VE--SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO HELP IT A LITTLE BIT. 18:10 BUT BIRTH PAINS ARE GENTLE AT FIRST, BECOME MORE AND MORE 18:14 FREQUENT, AND MORE AND MORE INTENSE AS THE BABY IS COMING. 18:18 SO JESUS SAID, "THIS IS HOW HISTORY WILL BE TILL I RETURN." 18:24 DO WE SEE THROUGH HISTORY WARS, FAMINES, EARTHQUAKES, 18:27 PESTILENCES, FALSE CHRISTS, FALSE PROPHETS? 18:30 THIS IS TRUE OF THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN AGE. 18:32 AND ALL THROUGH THE CENTURIES, CHRISTIANS HAVE SAID THEY'VE 18:35 TAKEN COURAGE, THEY SAID, "YEAH, THE WORLD'S IN A MESS, 18:38 BUT JESUS SAID IT WOULD BE LIKE THIS." 18:41 AND JESUS SAID IT'S GONNA GET WORSE, BUT THANKFULLY HE WILL 18:45 COME AND TAKE THESE PEOPLE HOME. 18:48 AND IF YOU BELIEVE THAT, DOESN'T IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE 18:51 HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE? 18:52 YOU HAVE HOPE, MEANING, PURPOSE IN LIFE. 18:55 YOU CAN PUT UP A LOT MORE IF YOU CAN SEE LIGHT AT THE END 18:58 OF THE TUNNEL. 18:59 AND IF YOU KNOW THAT GOD LOVES YOU AND ACCEPTS YOU BECAUSE 19:01 OF CHRIST AND IF YOU HAVE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION, YOU'RE 19:05 LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COMING OF JESUS TO SOMETHING BETTER 19:08 THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW. 19:09 AND SO, WARS, FAMINES, EARTHQUAKES, YES, HAVE ALWAYS 19:12 BEEN THERE, BUT THEY'RE LIKE BIRTH PAINS. 19:14 I GUESS THE LADIES ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN ANSWER 19:16 THIS QUESTION. 19:18 JUST BEFORE THE BABY COMES, ARE THE BIRTH PAINS RELEVANT 19:21 TO YOU? 19:23 THEY BECOME MORE RELEVANT, DON'T THEY? 19:25 SO IT SHOULD BE TODAY. 19:27 THIS YEAR, WE SHOULD BE SEEING THINGS EVEN MORE SO THAN PEOPLE 19:33 SAW 100 YEARS AGO AS THERE WAS A DEVELOPING OF ALL THESE 19:37 THINGS TELLING US THAT SOON JESUS IS GOING TO COME IN 19:40 THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN AND TAKE US HOME. 19:43 AND SO AS THE WORLD DETERIORATES AND THINGS 19:45 GET WORSE, WE'RE LONGING FOR JESUS TO COME. 19:49 AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING, LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT 19:51 GOD'S WORD, PARTICULARLY THE BOOK OF REVELATION. 19:54 ONE OF THE THRILLS OF BEING A CHRISTIAN IS TO LEARN TO GROW. 19:58 YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY SCHOLARS AT ANDREWS UNIVERSITY 20:01 WHO ARE DOING PHDs IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE BOOK 20:05 OF REVELATION. 20:07 THESE WE HAVE TRIED TO INCORPORATE INTO OUR NEW 20:10 SERIES, OUR NEW SERIES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING 20:12 WITH, "REVELATION, HOPE, MEANING, PURPOSE." 20:16 AND IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT, YOU GO TO OUR 20:18 WEBSITE, REVELATIONHOPE.COM. 20:21 THE SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION HAVE MADE IT AVAILABLE FOR THE WHOLE 20:24 WORLD FIELD, AND YOU CAN HEAR MORE ABOUT IT AND SEE HOW 20:26 YOU CAN RELATE TO IT. 20:28 BUT ON THAT SERIES, YOU WILL SEE A YOUNG LADY FROM PEOPLE'S 20:32 REPUBLIC OF CHINA, REBECCA LIU. 20:35 SHE'S DOING A PHD AT ANDREWS UNDER JON PAULIEN'S TUTORSHIP 20:39 AND SHE WILL EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT IT MEANT IN THE FIRST 20:41 CENTURY WHEN THEY BREATHED LIFE INTO THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST. 20:45 THE PAGANS WOULD DO THIS, AND THEN IT WOULD BEGIN 20:47 TO WORK MIRACLES. 20:48 THE MORE WE LEARN ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT TO THE PEOPLE TO WHOM IT 20:51 WAS WRITTEN--THE MORE WE UNDERSTAND THAT, THE BETTER WE 20:54 UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS FOR US TODAY. 20:57 AND SO IT'S EXCITING TO LEARN AND TO GROW. 21:00 AND THE TRUTHS OF THE BIBLE, THE TRUTHS OF THE GOSPEL WILL 21:03 COME OUT EVEN CLEARER STILL. 21:04 REVELATION. 21:06 REVELATION WAS GIVEN TO ALL CHRISTIANS. 21:09 GOD HAS NEVER, EVER TURNED THE LIGHT OUT OF PROPHECY 21:13 AND LEFT HIS CHURCH IN DARKNESS. 21:16 WELL, THIS BOOK COMES ALIVE WHEN TOUGH TIMES COME. 21:21 AND PEOPLE DO HAVE TOUGH TIMES IN THEIR LIFE. 21:24 YOU CAN LOOK BACK THROUGH THE HISTORY AND YOU CAN SEE 21:27 HOW DIFFERENT CHRISTIANS HAVE RELATED TO THE BOOK 21:29 OF REVELATION. 21:30 NOW, OFTEN WHAT THEY HAVE SAID IS WRONG. 21:33 OFTEN THEY HAVE BEEN WRONG. 21:35 THAT'S BEEN THE CASE, BUT THERE IS ENOUGH IN IT WHERE YOU CAN 21:39 JUST GET IT SO SIMPLY AND CLEARLY THAT IT GIVES YOU-- 21:42 STILL GIVES YOU ENCOURAGEMENT. 21:43 THIS BOOK ALTERNATES BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH, AND IT SAYS 21:47 ON EARTH, THINGS ARE GOING TO BE LIKE THIS, BUT DON'T 21:50 BE DISCOURAGED. 21:51 GOD IS THERE AND HE'S ON HIS THRONE. 21:54 AND IN THE END IT WILL BE OKAY. 21:56 YOU KNOW, THE FAVORITE BOOK OF PEOPLE IN PRISON IS THE BOOK 22:00 OF REVELATION. 22:02 INTERESTING, ISN'T IT? 22:03 WHEN TOUGH TIMES COME, THIS IS A BOOK TO GIVE HOPE, MEANING, 22:08 AND PURPOSE TO THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS. 22:11 AND IT'S A BOOK-- IT'S NOT AN OPTION. 22:13 IT'S A BOOK WHICH WE NEED TO REALLY GRIP--COME TO GRIPS 22:15 WITH AND UNDERSTAND. 22:17 BUT IF IT IS LINKED WITH THE FIRST COMING OF JESUS, THE 22:20 SECOND ADVENT, IF IT'S LINKED WITH THE SERMON ON THE END 22:24 OF THE WORLD IN MATTHEW 24, NO ONE DOUBTS THAT IT COMMENCES 22:28 IN THE FIRST CENTURY, THE SERMON JESUS GAVE. 22:32 AND IT UNFOLDS THROUGH HISTORY TILL JESUS COMES IN THE CLOUDS 22:35 OF HEAVEN. 22:36 THAT SERMON HE GAVE SPANS ALL THE CENTURIES. 22:39 AND IF WE ARE RIGHT IN LINKING THAT SERMON WITH THE BOOK OF 22:43 REVELATION, THEN WE HAVE SOLID GROUND FOR SAYING THE BIBLE 22:47 REVELATION GIVES HOPE, MEANING, AND PURPOSE THROUGHOUT HISTORY. 22:50 ALRIGHT, IS IT TRUE TODAY WE CAN SEE WARS? 22:54 HAVE WARS COME TO AN END? 22:56 NO, THEY'RE JUST LIKE JESUS SAID, WARS. 23:00 WILL TERRORISTS GET AHOLD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS? 23:03 CHEMICAL WARFARE, WHERE THEY COULD TARGET A TYPE OF PEOPLE, 23:07 A DNA TYPE OF PEOPLE AND WIPE THEM OUT NOW AND THEN JUST GO 23:11 AND TAKE OVER THEIR CITIES WITHOUT ALL THE MESS 23:13 OF OTHER WARFARE. 23:15 THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT WORLD WAR III HAS ALREADY 23:17 BEGUN, FOR OUR COMPUTERS BEING HACKED INTO AND YOU CAN TAKE 23:22 OVER THE COMPUTERS, YOU CAN SHUT THEM DOWN, YOU CAN SHUT 23:24 OFF THE DEFENSES AND THE WATER AND THE ELECTRICITY. 23:27 DO WE SEE EARTHQUAKES IN THE WORLD TODAY? 23:30 SOME PEOPLE SAY SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE SOON. 23:34 THERE'S A FEELING, AN INTENSENESS OF EARTHQUAKES 23:36 HAPPENING IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD. 23:39 DO WE SEE PESTILENCES? 23:41 WE SEE ALL SORTS OF DISEASES COMING FORTH TO WHICH THERE 23:45 IS MUTATIONS TAKING PLACE. 23:47 DO WE SEE FALSE CHRISTS? 23:49 SOME PEOPLE SAID THAT THIS IS AN AGE OF MESSIANIC CULTS. 23:52 MESSIAH MEANS-- CHRIST MEANS MESSIAH. 23:55 MESSIANIC CULTS ARE FLOURISHING AROUND THE WORLD. 23:58 DO WE SEE FALSE PROPHETS LIKE JESUS SAID? 24:01 YES, WE DO. 24:02 THE CUTTING EDGE. 24:04 WHAT DIVIDING THE CHRISTIAN WORLD AT THIS PRESENT TIME 24:07 IS HOW DOES THE GIFT OF PROPHECY WORK? 24:09 IS THE BIBLE SUFFICIENT TO GUIDE ME AS I'M GUIDED 24:12 BY THE SPIRIT? 24:14 OR IS MY OWN PERSONAL REVELATION, SUPERCEDING 24:18 WHAT GOD SAYS IN THE WORD. 24:20 THIS IS A BIG ISSUE IN MUCH OF THE CHRISTIAN WORLD, 24:23 WHERE MANY PASTORS ARE SAYING, PARTICULARLY IN 24:26 THE DEVELOPING WORLD, WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS 24:28 TO THE BIBLE OFTEN IN THE WAY THAT YOU AND I HAVE. 24:31 BUT MY--GOD GIVES ME THE GIFT OF PROPHECY AND TELLS ME HIS 24:34 WILL, AND THEN I HAVE THE SAME GIFT AS I SHARE IT WITH PEOPLE. 24:38 AND THIS HAS BECOME A VERY BIG ISSUE IN THE CHRISTIAN WORLD. 24:41 MY PERSONAL REVELATION. 24:43 SO THE WORLD IS REALLY, REALLY--YOU KNOW, IF I DIDN'T 24:46 HAVE THE BOOK OF REVELATION, IF I DIDN'T HAVE GOD'S WORD, 24:49 I'D BE IN DESPAIR. 24:52 I'D BE REALLY TREMBLING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. 24:56 YOU KNOW, I WAS WATCHING A FOOTBALL MATCH, 24:58 AUSTRALIAN RULES. 24:59 I THINK I SAID ON THE DVDs THAT WE'RE THE BEST IN THE WORLD 25:02 AT AUSTRALIAN RULES. 25:05 AND JON PAULIEN SAYS, "YOU'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT PLAY IT." 25:09 WELL, IT'S ALRIGHT, BUT I WAS WATCHING MY TEAM BEING BEATEN 25:13 AND MY LITTLE GRANDDAUGHTER WAS THERE. 25:15 AND SHE WAS ONLY 2 OR 3, A 3 YEAR OLD AT THE TIME. 25:18 AND SHE'S PLAYING WITH HER DOLL AND MY TEAM, THE GOALS ARE 25:22 BEING KICKED AGAINST MY TEAM, AND I'M SAYING, "NO! NO! 25:26 OH, NO!" 25:28 AND THIS LITTLE GIRL IS PLAYING WITH HER LITTLE DOLL 25:30 AND SHE DOESN'T EVEN LOOK UP. 25:31 AND THIS LITTLE VOICE FLOATS OUT TO ME, "WOULD YOU LIKE 25:36 TO SIT DOWN AND TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT?" 25:38 [LAUGHING] SHE'S REHEARSING WHAT HER 25:43 MOTHER HAD SAID TO HER. 25:47 WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR WORLD TODAY WHO WOULD 25:50 LOVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY SIT DOWN AND JUST LISTEN. 25:55 JUST LISTEN TO THEM BECAUSE THE WORLD CAN BE A MESSY PLACE 25:58 IN DESPAIR. 26:00 WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO A JOURNEY. 26:05 WE OUGHT TO LEAVE THIS WORLD AND WE OUGHT TO GO AND SEE 26:07 SOMETHING BETTER. 26:08 ANOTHER--PASTOR CARTER ONCE SAID, "GRAEME'S ALWAYS TALKING 26:11 ABOUT HIS GRANDKIDS." 26:12 AND I AM TOO. 26:13 THEY'RE SUCH FUN. 26:16 YOU CAN ENJOY THEM AND HAND THEM BACK. 26:18 WE KNOW THAT, DON'T WE? 26:20 TAKE THE BEST AND FUN. 26:21 I TOOK THEM WHALE WATCHING, SOMETHING I DON'T THINK 26:24 I'LL EVER DO AGAIN. 26:26 WE WENT WHALE WATCHING AND MY WIFE GOT SEASICK CARING FOR ONE 26:31 OF THEM, AND SHE--I DON'T THINK SHE'LL WANT TO GO AGAIN. 26:34 YOU KNOW WHERE WHALES SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME? 26:37 DOWN THERE. 26:38 AND YOU PAY A LOT OF MONEY TO GO AND SEE A WHALE, 26:41 AND YOU'RE SITTING OUT THERE, "WHERE ARE THEY?" 26:44 AND THE GUIDE IS SAYING, "THIS IS UNUSUAL." 26:47 [LAUGHING] AND THEN SUDDENLY THEY SEE ONE 26:50 IN THE DISTANCE AND THEY GO TRY TO SEE IT. 26:52 ALL IT DOES IS TAKE A BREATH AND THEN YOU WAIT ANOTHER, 26:56 WHAT, 20 MINUTES, WHEREVER IT IS, AND YOU'RE LOOKING AROUND. 26:59 WELL, ANYWAY. 27:01 WE'RE A LITTLE BIT LIKE THOSE WHALES. 27:04 WE SPEND MOST OF OUR TIME DOWN HERE WITH OUR WORRIES AND OUR 27:08 CONCERNS AND THE CARES OF THIS WORLD CRUSHING OUT OUR LIFE. 27:12 BUT WE NEED TO BREATHE THE ATMOSPHERE OF HEAVEN. 27:15 AND THIS IS WHAT REVELATION DOES. 27:18 IT ALTERNATES BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH. 27:20 LET'S GO TO HEAVEN AND HAVE A LOOK AT GOD'S THRONE ROOM. 27:23 REVELATION 4. 27:25 IN REVELATION 4, LET'S BREATHE THE ATMOSPHERE OF HEAVEN, AND I 27:29 INVITE YOU TO JOIN WITH ME THE JOURNEY AND LET'S LEAVE 27:33 BEHIND THE CARES OF THIS WORLD. 27:35 IT IS TRUE LIFE IS ROUGH HERE. 27:37 IT IS TRUE THINGS DON'T ALWAYS WORK OUT LIKE WE WANT. 27:40 AND IT CAN BE DISAPPOINTING, BUT LOOK AT THIS SCENE. 27:43 AND JOHN INVITES US IN CHAPTER 4 AND VERSE 1. 27:46 "AFTER THIS, I LOOKED AND THERE BEFORE ME WEREHE DOORS 27:50 STANDING OPEN IN HEAVEN. 27:52 AND THE VOICE I HAD FIRST HEARD SPEAKING TO ME LIKE A TRUMPET 27:55 SAID, 'COME UP HERE AND I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT MUST TAKE PLACE 28:01 AFTER THIS.' AT ONCE, I WAS IN THE SPIRIT, 28:04 AND THERE BEFORE ME WAS A THRONE IN HEAVEN WITH 28:06 SOMEONE SITTING ON IT." 28:08 AND YOU MAY WANT TO READ THROUGH THE REST OF THE VERSES 28:10 YOURSELF RIGHT THROUGH TO VERSE 6, JUST CAST 28:13 YOUR EYE THROUGH. 28:15 BUT AS YOU SEE THIS SCENE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THERE ARE-- 28:18 THE THRONE ROOM SCENE. 28:20 AND AROUND THE THRONE, YOU HAVE 24 ELDERS AND YOU 28:24 HAVE 4 LIVING CREATURES AND IT'S A MAJESTIC SCENE. 28:29 IT REALLY IS A MAJESTIC SCENE. 28:30 THESE 24 ELDERS ARE CLOTHED IN WHITE, WHICH IS THE--WHITE IS 28:35 THE GARB OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN REVELATION. 28:39 AND CROWNS--THESE ARE VICTORY CROWNS. 28:42 VICTORY FROM BATTLE. 28:44 THESE--THIS IS THE GARB OF A PRIEST. 28:46 TWENTY-FOUR COURSES OF PRIESTS IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES, AND 28:50 PROBABLY THESE PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN THERE, AND WE MUSTN'T 28:53 GET HUNG UP IN THE DETAILS OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN AND MISS 28:56 THE BIG PICTURE. 28:57 BUT HOW DID THESE PEOPLE GET THERE? 28:59 IT COULD BE THAT JESUS, WHEN HE ROSE FROM THE READ, TOOK THESE 29:02 PEOPLE BACK WITH HIM AS A SAMPLE HARVEST OF WHAT 29:05 WAS YET TO COME. 29:06 THAT'S A POSSIBILITY. 29:08 WE HAVE THESE FOUR LIVING CREATURES, WHICH ARE LIKE 29:11 A LION, OX, MAN, AND EAGLE, AND THEY'RE AROUND THE THRONE. 29:15 AND THAT LINKS UP CLOSELY WITH EZEKIEL 3, WHERE WE HAVE THIS 29:21 VISION OF THE THRONE OF GOD AND THERE WE ARE TOLD THEY ACTUALLY 29:24 ARE--IN THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL, THEY ARE CHERUBIM. 29:27 SO THIS IS PROBABLY AROUND THE THRONE ROOM OF GOD WITNESSES 29:31 FOR THE HUMAN RACE ON WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE THRONE OF GOD, 29:35 AND MAYBE THE CHERUBIM ARE WITNESSING WHAT IS HAPPENING 29:38 ON EARTH AND THERE'S A TWO-WAY WAY ABOUT IT. 29:42 BUT WITNESSING TO THE JUSTICE OF GOD BECAUSE WE FIND THE 29:45 HYMNS THAT BREAK OUT DEAL WITH THE GOODNESS AND THE WITNESS 29:49 OF GOD AS CREATOR. 29:51 AND AS YOU LOOK AT THAT SCENE, AND I WANT YOU TO SEE IT 29:55 IN YOUR MIND TOO. 29:56 AS YOU LOOK AT THAT SCENE, THERE'S THUNDER AND LIGHTNING, 29:59 A STORM, A RAINBOW AROUND THE THRONE, AND THIS IS A MAJESTIC 30:04 SEA OF GLASS. 30:05 IT'S ALL REFLECTED IN THE SEA OF GLASS. 30:07 AND WE'RE MEANT TO SEE IT IN OUR MIND. 30:10 HAVE A LOOK AT REVELATION 4:8. 30:14 IN REVELATION 4:8, "EACH OF THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES 30:18 HAD SIX WINGS AND WAS COVERED WITH EYES ALL AROUND, 30:21 EVEN UNDER HIS WINGS. 30:22 DAY AND NIGHT THEY NEVER STOP SAYING, 'HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS 30:27 THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS, AND IS, AND IS TO COME.'" 30:32 AND LOOK IN VERSE 9. 30:33 "WHENEVER THE LIVING CREATURES GIVE GLORY, HONOR, AND THANKS 30:37 TO HIM WHO SITS ON THE THRONE," WHAT VERSE 9 IS ACTUALLY 30:41 DOING IS SAYING THIS IS AN ONGOING SCENE. 30:44 THIS IS WHENEVER. 30:46 THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN HEAVEN. 30:48 PRAISE TO GOD. 30:49 YOU KNOW, PRAISE TO GOD IS THE LANGUAGE OF HEAVEN. 30:52 YOU AND I WERE MADE TO WORSHIP GOD. 30:55 THIS IS WHAT WE WERE MADE FOR. 30:57 IT'S PART OF OUR CREATION, PART OF OUR BEING TO--THE OLD 31:00 CATECHISMS SAY WE WERE--WE WERE IDEAL FOR WHAT WE WERE CREATED 31:05 FOR IS TO WORSHIP GOD AND TO ENJOY HIM FOREVER. 31:09 WOULD WE ENJOY GOD IN HEAVEN? 31:12 I THINK GOD HIMSELF IS GOING TO BE A GREAT FRIEND IN HEAVEN. 31:14 AND ALL THIS IS GOING ON AND THEN SUDDENLY THERE'S A CRISIS. 31:18 IN CHAPTER FIVE, WE FIND THAT IT IS ALMOST AS IF THE HEAVENLY 31:22 CHOIRS STOP AND THERE'S SOME--AND CHAPTER FIVE IS 31:26 DEALING NOW WITH A MOMENT IN TIME, A CRISIS WHICH CAUSES 31:32 THE HEAVENLY CHOIRS TO STOP AND THERE'S A GREAT CRISIS 31:37 TAKING PLACE HERE. 31:39 IN CHAPTER FIVE, WE HAVE HERE IN VERSE ONE, THE ONE SITTING 31:42 ON THE THRONE AND WE HAVE A BOOK, A SCROLL IN HIS HAND. 31:47 AND WHATEVER THIS SCROLL IS, IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH 31:51 THE CURSES OF THE COVENANT BECAUSE THIS IS RELATED 31:54 TO THE HORSEMEN WHO COME OUT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. 31:57 THE BLESSINGS AND CURSES OF THE COVENANT ARE VERY MUCH PART OF 31:59 THIS SEALING, THESE SEALS THAT ARE LOOSED. 32:04 AND THERE IS A CRISIS BECAUSE NO ONE IS ABLE TO--FOUND WORTHY 32:08 TO OPEN THIS BOOK. 32:10 NOW, IN CHAPTER FIVE WE HAVE HERE THIS STATEMENT. 32:14 AND JOHN WEEPS IN VERSE FOUR. 32:16 "I WEPT BECAUSE NO ONE WAS FOUND WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL 32:20 OR LOOK INSIDE." 32:22 NOW, RANKO STEFANOVIC, WHO HAS THIS IN HIS COMMENTARY WHEN 32:26 HE'S DOING HIS DOCTORAL STUDIES, REALIZED THAT THIS WAS 32:30 CONNECTING UP WITH THE CORONATION OF AN ISRAELITE KING 32:34 IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. 32:35 BOOK OF REVELATION IS STEEPED IN THE LANGUAGE 32:38 OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 32:39 AND RANKO STEFANOVIC REALIZED THAT THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT 32:43 LINK. 32:44 WHAT WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING HERE IS A CORONATION OF CHRIST 32:49 UPON HIS ASCENSION TO THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY TO COMMENCE 32:53 HIS MINISTRY ON OUR BEHALF. 32:55 IT IS GIVEN IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE CORONATION 32:59 OF AN ISRAELITE KING. 33:01 AND LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT OUR ISRAELITE KING BECAUSE THIS 33:03 GIVES US AN IDEA OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY TAKING PLACE. 33:06 WHEN THIS KING CAME TO THE THRONE, WHEN THIS KING CAME TO 33:10 THE THRONE, HE WOULD ACTUALLY BE GIVEN A COPY OF THE BOOK OF 33:15 THE COVENANT, AND HE HAD TO MAKE A COPY OF IT. 33:19 AND HE WAS TO BE OBEDIENT TO THE COVENANT. 33:22 AND WHILE HE WAS OBEDIENT TO THE COVENANT, THEN IT WAS SAID 33:26 THAT THE BOOK WAS OPEN. 33:28 BUT WHEN HE FAILED TO OBEY THE COVENANT, AS MOST OF THEM DID, 33:32 THE BOOK WAS SAID TO BE SEALED. 33:34 THAT'S OLD TESTAMENT LANGUAGE. 33:37 AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT RELATES BACK TO 33:40 THE OLD TESTAMENT, WHICH HELPS US TO REALIZE WHAT IS 33:42 ACTUALLY GOING ON HERE. 33:44 BUT WHILE HE IS DOING THIS, WHILE JOHN IS WATCHING, JOHN IS 33:48 WATCHING, IT SAYS, "AND HE WEPT BECAUSE NO ONE WAS FOUND 33:51 WORTHY" BECAUSE KING AFTER KING AFTER KING OF ISRAEL FAILED, 33:55 FAILED, FAILED. 33:56 BUT NOW HE'S POINTED IN THE DIRECTION OF SOMEONE WHO WAS 34:00 FAITHFUL TO THE COVENANT. 34:02 SOMEONE FROM THE LINE OF DAVID WHO WAS LOYAL AND FAITHFUL. 34:07 SO WE LOOK HERE NOW IN REVELATION 5 AND IT SAYS HERE 34:12 IN REVELATION 5:5, "THEN ONE OF THE ELDERS SAID TO ME, 'DO NOT 34:18 WEEP. 34:19 SEE THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, THE ROOT OF DAVID, 34:23 HAS TRIUMPHED. 34:24 HE IS ABLE TO OPEN THE SCROLL AND ITS SEVEN SEALS.' 34:30 THEN I SAW A LAMB, LOOKING AS IT HAD BEEN SLAIN, STANDING 34:34 IN THE CENTER OF THE THRONE." 34:37 SO BEHOLD THE LION, BUT SEE THE LAMB. 34:42 WHAT AN INTERESTING CONTRAST HERE, ISN'T IT? 34:45 YOU KNOW, DREAMS ARE FUNNY THINGS. 34:47 I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GO WHEN YOU HAVE DREAMS. 34:50 I CLAIM THAT I HAVE THE ABILITY WHEN A DREAM DOESN'T FINISH 34:53 RIGHT TO PUT MYSELF BACK TO SLEEP AND FINISH IT 34:57 THE RIGHT WAY. 34:58 ANYONE ELSE DO THAT? 35:01 I TRIED IT LAST WEEK AND I HAD A BAD DREAM AND I COULDN'T, 35:03 BUT IT WAS BAD--DISAPPOINTING. 35:05 BUT DREAMS ARE SO REAL. 35:06 AND JOHN IS NOW ACTUALLY IN A VISION GIVEN TO HIM BY GOD 35:09 THOUGH THE SPIRIT, AND HE'S TOLD BEHOLD THE LION, 35:13 BUT SEE THE LAMB. 35:15 NOW, THIS HAPPENS OFTEN IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, 35:17 LIKE I SAID LAST WEEK. 35:19 YOU KNOW, JOHN WILL TALK ABOUT BEHOLD SOMETHING, AND THEN 35:24 HE TURNS AND HE SEES THE SAME, BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT IMAGE. 35:29 AND JESUS IS BOTH LION AND BOTH LAMB. 35:33 BUT THIS LION, WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND WHEN YOU THINK 35:35 OF A LION? 35:36 YOU THINK OF A POWERFUL CREATURE, THE KING OF 35:39 THE JUNGLE WHO TERRIFIES. 35:41 CREATURES FLEE THE CONCEPT OF A WARRIOR COMING OUT OF A BATTLE, 35:46 FRESH WITH HIS SWORD DIPPED IN BLOOD. 35:49 BUT WHEN YOU THINK OF A LAMB, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF A LAMB? 35:53 YOU THINK OF A LAMB--LITERALLY THE GREEK IS LAMBKIN. 35:57 IT'S A LITTLE LAMB, A LITTLE LAMB WHICH HAS JUST HAD ITS 36:02 THROAT CUT. 36:04 IT'S STANDING BEFORE THE THRONE. 36:06 IT'S BEEN OFFERED IN SACRIFICE AND IT'S DYING. 36:10 IT'S STANDING THERE, BUT IT'S DYING. 36:13 AND IT PUZZLES US, HOW COULD JESUS BOTH BE LION AND HOW 36:17 COULD HE BOTH BE A LAMB AT THE SAME TIME? 36:20 YOU KNOW, THE JEWS FROM THE FIRST CENTURY WHO WERE LED 36:23 ASTRAY BY THEIR LEADERS HAD NO TROUBLE SEEING JESUS AS A LION. 36:29 IF HE HAD COME AS A LION, THEY WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN 36:31 THE MESSIAH COME AS A LION. 36:33 AND YOU AND I MUST BE CAREFUL WE DON'T UNDULY BLAME THEM 36:36 BECAUSE IF WE HAD LIVED UNDER THE HEEL OF ROME, 36:40 THE OPPRESSION OF ROME, IF WE HAD LOST OUR FREEDOM LIKE 36:43 THEY HAD FROM PAGAN ROME, I GUESS WE WOULD LIKED TO HAVE 36:48 HAD A MESSIAH TO COME AND DELIVER US THE SAME WAY TOO. 36:51 BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO TRUE FOR US TODAY. 36:56 WE LIVE IN A TROUBLED WORLD OF WARS, FAMINES, 36:59 EARTHQUAKES, TERRORISM. 37:01 YOU KNOW, THE WORLD REALLY IS HEADING--IF JESUS DOESN'T COME 37:05 SOON, YOU WONDER HOW LONG THE WORLD WILL CARRY ON 37:07 THE MESS IT IS IN. 37:09 THE POTENTIAL TO DESTROY OURSELVES, FOR ONE PERSON 37:12 TO DESTROY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, WE'VE NEVER FACED THIS 37:15 IN HUMAN HISTORY BEFORE. 37:17 YOU KNOW, I GUESS WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE A GOD WHO ACTS LIKE 37:22 A LION. 37:23 WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MESSIAH WHO COMES AND DELIVERS US. 37:27 AND AS I SAID, AS A LITTLE BOY I USED TO LOVE 37:30 THE SUPERMAN FILMS. 37:31 WHY? 37:32 BECAUSE EVERY TIME LOIS LANE FELL OUT OF A BUILDING, 37:34 WHAT HAPPENED? 37:36 HE WAS THERE. 37:37 A PLANE IS ABOUT TO CRASH. 37:39 HE TAKES IT SAFELY TO LAND. 37:42 THEY SEND A ROCKET SHIP OR SOMETHING. 37:44 THEY SEND A MISSILE TO A DAM. 37:47 WHAT DOES HE DO? 37:49 HE TAKES IT OUT TO OUTER SPACE, YOU KNOW? 37:51 WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO WORSHIP A GOD LIKE THAT? 37:54 IN OUR HEARTS, WE LONG FOR GOD TO DO THE THINGS THAT A LION 37:58 DOES AND STEP IN AND FIX THESE PEOPLE. 38:01 BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE WORLD IS HEADING TOWARDS 38:07 THE STAGE WHERE IT WILL LOOK FOR A STRONG LEADER WHO WILL DO 38:10 THAT SORT OF THING. 38:11 AND MAYBE BE PREPARED TO SURRENDER SOME OF THEIR 38:13 LIBERTIES IN ORDER JUST TO SURVIVE. 38:17 THE WORLD IS HEADING TOWARD SOME GREAT CRISIS. 38:19 YOU JUST SORT OF FEEL IT, DON'T YOU? 38:21 BUT, YOU KNOW, THE JEWS NEVER SEEM TO TAKE ENOUGH NOTICE OF 38:23 ISAIAH 53, AND MAYBE THERE'S THINGS IN GOD'S WORD THAT WE 38:27 DON'T RECOGNIZE YET THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING NOTICE OF TOO. 38:31 BUT ISAIAH 53 WAS A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE AS TO HOW THIS MESSIAH 38:36 WOULD ACTUALLY BE WHEN HE CAME. 38:39 ISAIAH 53:4-7 IS A VERY MOVING STORY OF WHAT THE MESSIAH WOULD 38:45 BE LIKE, THE SUFFERING SERVANT. 38:47 "SURELY HE TOOK UP OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED OUR 38:50 SORROWS, YET WE CONSIDERED HIM STRICKEN BY GOD, SMITTEN BY 38:54 HIM, AND AFFLICTED. 38:56 BUT HE WAS PIERCED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS CRUSHED 39:00 FOR OUR INIQUITIES, THE PUNISHMENT THAT BROUGHT US 39:04 PEACE WAS UPON HIM, AND BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED. 39:08 ALL WE, LIKE SHEEP, HAVE GONE ASTRAY, EACH ONE OF US HAS 39:12 TURNED TO HIS OWN WAY; AND THE LORD HAS LAID ON HIM 39:16 THE INIQUITY OF US ALL." 39:19 IT'S A VERY MOVING PIECE, ISN'T IT? 39:21 ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE WRONG, ALL OUR SINS, THE SINS OF 39:25 THE WHOLE WORLD WERE LAID UPON THE INNOCENT LAMB OF GOD. 39:30 YOU KNOW, WE LONGED TO SEE THE MESSIAH COME, AND I BELIEVE 39:33 HE WILL COME ONE DAY AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, 39:36 AND HE WILL ROAR LIKE A LION. 39:40 SURE HE WILL. 39:42 AND THE WORLD WILL TREMBLE IN FEAR AND SUDDENLY THERE 39:45 WILL NOT BE AN ATHEIST LEFT IN THE WORLD. 39:48 THEY'LL BE THE EXTINCT. 39:49 BUT WE HAVE TO LIVE OUR LIVES; MEANWHILE, WE HAVE TO LIVE OUR 39:53 LIVES FOR A PERIOD LIKE MESSIAH IS LIKE A LAMB. 39:59 AND GOD DOESN'T ALWAYS STEP IN AND DO THE THINGS 40:02 THAT WE WANT HIM TO DO. 40:04 AND WE PLEAD WITH HIM, "LORD, THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. 40:06 WHY AM I SUFFERING FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN? 40:10 WHY ARE THESE UNJUST PEOPLE DOING THESE THINGS TO ME?" 40:13 YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS 40:16 OF JESUS. 40:18 IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE TO FOLLOW HIM STEP BY STEP. 40:21 AND THE END TIME IS WRITTEN IN REVELATION, IN THE LANGUAGE 40:24 WHERE THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ARE TRULY FOLLOWING JESUS. 40:29 BUT SEE HOW HE WINS HIS BATTLE AS A LAMB. 40:32 SEE HOW HE WINS HIS BATTLE. 40:34 HE DOESN'T TAKE HIS SWORD AND GO OUT AND CONQUER 40:37 AND DESTROY AT THIS MOMENT. 40:39 HE ALLOWS HIMSELF TO BE NAILED TO THE CROSS, HE BOWS HIS HEAD, 40:45 HE FEELS FORSAKEN BY GOD, AND HE CRIES OUT, "MY GOD, MY GOD, 40:51 WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" 40:54 AND THAT'S HOW HE CONQUERS AND WINS HIS BATTLE. 40:58 GLORY TO THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN, THE ONE WHO BORE 41:02 OUR SINS ON CALVARY. 41:04 THIS IS SO CONTRARY TO HUMAN THINKING, ISN'T IT? 41:07 THE HUMAN MIND SAYS CRUSH YOUR ENEMY, DESTROY THEM. 41:11 BUT JESUS COMES AND HE TAKES THE ENEMY'S SINS UPON HIM. 41:17 YOU KNOW, CALVARY WAS LIKE THE LIGHTNING AND ALL ELSE 41:20 THAT COMES THEREAFTER IS THE THUNDER, THE MOPPING UP 41:22 OPERATIONS. 41:24 AND ONE DAY HE WILL COME AS KING OF KINGS 41:26 AND LORD OF LORDS. 41:27 BUT WE'RE LIVING THROUGH A LAMB-LIKE EXPERIENCE AS WE 41:30 FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS. 41:33 IF YOU AND I HAD LIVED IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES, 41:36 SIN WOULD HAVE MADE A TREMENDOUS IMPRESSION UPON US. 41:39 IT WOULD HAVE MEANT WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO GO TO THE TEMPLE, 41:42 AND WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN A LIFE AND WE WOULD HAVE CUT 41:45 THAT LITTLE LAMB'S THROAT. 41:47 YOU'D SAY, "WHY IS THAT LITTLE CREATURE DYING?" 41:50 THAT LITTLE CREATURE IS DYING BECAUSE OF WHAT I HAVE DONE. 41:55 YOU WOULD LEARN TO HATE SIN, WOULDN'T YOU? 41:58 HATE SIN FOR WHAT IT'S DONE TO THAT LITTLE LAMB. 42:01 AND GOD WANTS US TO THINK OF HIS SON AS LIKE 42:04 A LITTLE CREATURE. 42:06 YOU KNOW, I HAD A FARMER FRIEND YEARS AGO IN NEW ZEALAND WHO 42:08 EVERY SPRING HAD TO GO AROUND AND CUT THE THROATS OF 42:10 THE LAMBS THEY DIDN'T WANT. 42:11 HE SAID THOSE TINY LITTLE CREATURES COULD HARDLY STAND 42:13 ON THEIR FEET. 42:15 HE SAID, "IT'S A JOB I DETESTED EVERY YEAR, TO TAKE THE KNIFE 42:19 AND DRAW IT THROUGH THE THROAT AND TO SEE THE LITTLE THING 42:22 STAGGER, STAGGER, DYING." 42:26 WHEN GOD WANTS YOU AND I TO HAVE AN IMAGE OF HIS SON, 42:30 AT THIS TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY HE WANTS US TO SEE HIM AS A LAMB. 42:35 ONE DAY HE'LL BE LIKE THE LION, SURE. 42:37 BUT THERE IS A LAMB-LIKE EXISTENCE. 42:39 THIS IDEA OF HEALTH AND WEALTH GOSPEL IS NOT REALISTIC. 42:44 CHRISTIANS DO SUFFER. 42:45 CHRISTIANS DO GET SICK. 42:47 CHRISTIANS DO HAVE THEIR HOMES BROKEN INTO. 42:50 CHRISTIANS DO LOSE THEIR JOB BECAUSE THEY STAND FOR JESUS. 42:54 BOOK OF REVELATION WAS WRITTEN TO A PEOPLE WHO WERE STRUGGLING 42:57 TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHY IS THE WORLD IN SUCH A MESS 43:02 WHEN JESUS IS IN HEAVEN. 43:05 THE BOOK OF REVELATION WAS WRITTEN TO GIVE US A REALISTIC 43:08 VIEW OF LIFE, THE LION-LAMB TENSION IN THIS BOOK. 43:13 AND DO YOU EVER IDENTIFY WITH IT? 43:15 DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE CRYING OUT, "LORD, HOW LONG? 43:19 HOW LONG, LORD, BEFORE YOU STEP IN AND PUT AN END TO THIS 43:23 AND TAKE US HOME?" 43:25 WE FIND THAT THE TENSE PAIN OF SOME PEOPLE IS SO UNJUST. 43:30 BUT JESUS WAS SLAUGHTERED LIKE A LITTLE LAMB, AND OUR 43:33 LAMB-LIKE EXPERIENCES, IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL, 43:36 CAN ACTUALLY OVERWHELM US. 43:38 MOST PEOPLE WHO START THE CHRISTIAN LIFE DON'T FINISH. 43:43 SAD COMMENTARY ON CHRISTIANITY, BUT IT'S TRUE. 43:45 GOD IS DEALING WITH HUMAN BEINGS. 43:48 WIDE IS THE GATE, BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION. 43:51 MOST PEOPLE GO THAT WAY. 43:53 STRAIGHT IS THE GATE, NARROW IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE, 43:55 FEW THEY BE THAT FIND IT. 43:57 YOU AND I HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR FAITH AND LIVE BY FAITH, 44:03 EVEN WHEN LIFE FALLS APART. 44:05 EVEN WHEN WE ARE BETRAYED BY FRIEND AND OTHER CHRISTIANS 44:08 AND LET DOWN, WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYES ON THE LAMB. 44:13 WE TAKE OUR EYES ANYWHERE ELSE, IT IS NOT SAFE. 44:17 NO ONE CAN PLUCK US OUT OF HIS HAND, HE SAYS. 44:20 WE HAVE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION IN HIM. 44:22 SURE, BUT WE CAN TAKE OUR EYES OFF HIM AND THROUGH 44:27 CARELESSNESS AND NEGLECT WE CAN LOSE IT. 44:31 YOU CANNOT DRAW A LINE IN THIS WORLD BETWEEN BELIEVERS AND 44:34 UNBELIEVERS AND SAY, "OKAY, ON THIS SIDE ARE ALL THOSE WHO 44:38 ARE CHRISTIANS AND THEY DON'T GET THEIR HOUSES ROBBED. 44:42 THEY LIVE LONGER AND THEY'VE ALWAYS GOT A JOB AND THEY 44:45 ALWAYS HAVE THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY." 44:48 AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, THOSE WHO ARE NOT CHRISTIANS, 44:50 AND THEY DIE EARLY, THEY GET CANCER, THEY LOSE THEIR JOB. 44:54 THE WORLD IS NOT LIKE THAT, IS IT? 44:56 IF THAT WERE THE CASE, WE WOULD TEND TO SERVE GOD 44:59 FOR THE WRONG REASONS. 45:01 WE'VE BECOME BREAD AND BUTTER CHRISTIANS. 45:03 TRUE FAITH. 45:04 GOD GIVES SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO BELIEVE, BUT NEVER REMOVES 45:07 ALL CAUSE FOR DOUBT. 45:11 WE HAVE THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT IN OUR LIFE. 45:13 WE HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF THE WORD OF GOD, BUT THERE ARE 45:16 ALWAYS GOING TO BE THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE 45:18 AND SEEM UNFAIR. 45:21 AND WHEN THAT TIME COMES, WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYES 45:24 ON THE LAMB. 45:26 BE FAITHFUL TO CHRIST. 45:27 THERE ARE MOTHERS LEFT ALL ALONE IN THIS WORLD 45:30 TO BRING UP THEIR CHILDREN ALL BY THEMSELVES. 45:32 THERE ARE PARENTS WHO HAVE LOST A SON OR A DAUGHTER IN A CAR 45:34 ACCIDENT, AND IT WASN'T FAIR. 45:37 THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE FAITHFUL TO CHRIST, YET THEY 45:40 GET SICK, ROBBED, MURDERED, LOST THEIR JOBS. 45:42 IT CAN BE A ROUGH WORLD, AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE SKEPTICS 45:44 SAY, "WELL, WHERE IS YOUR GOD? 45:46 YOU'VE TRIED TO BE FAITHFUL TO HIM. 45:48 WHY ISN'T HE LOOKING AFTER YOU AT THIS TIME?" 45:52 THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAID TO JESUS, ISN'T IT? 45:56 "WHERE'S YOUR GOD? 45:57 WHY DON'T YOU COME DOWN AND THEN WE'LL BELIEVE YOU?" 46:00 AND THEY TAUNTED HIM AND TEASED HIM, BUT YOU KNOW, 46:03 HE WOULDN'T COME DOWN. 46:05 IF HE HAD, YOU AND I WOULD BE LOST. 46:09 HE SAW THERE WOULD BE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND I WHO WOULD TRUST 46:12 IN HIM AND HE HUNG THERE, DIDN'T HE? 46:15 UNTIL HE CRIED OUT, "IT IS FINISHED." 46:18 HE DIED FOR OUR SINS. 46:20 OH, YES, ONE DAY SOON HE'LL COME AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD 46:23 OF LORDS. 46:24 WHAT A MIGHTY SCENE IT WILL BE. 46:26 ALL THE POWERS ON HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL TREMBLE. 46:29 THEY'LL FLEE. 46:31 THE MOUNTAIN CHAINS WILL RISE AND FALL. 46:34 BOOK OF REVELATION PICTURES IT WHEN JESUS COMES AS KING OF 46:37 KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, WITH ALL HIS ANGELS WITH HIM, 46:40 AND HE'LL ROAR LIKE A LION. 46:43 BUT MEANWHILE, WE HAVE TO SEEM LIKE A LAMB AND SUFFER 46:49 AS HE SUFFERED. 46:51 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE ARE KINGS AND PRIESTS AND WE WILL 46:54 LIVE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST FOR ETERNITY. 46:57 YOU KNOW, WE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS, 46:59 REALLY, TO BE A KING AND A PRIEST. 47:01 JESUS SAYS IN REVELATION, "TO THOSE WHO OVERCOME, I WILL 47:06 SHARE MY THRONE WITH YOU." 47:08 JESUS, REMEMBER, HAS INHERITED ALL THINGS. 47:11 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SHARE THE THRONE WITH JESUS? 47:14 I DON'T THINK WE'VE GOT ANY IDEA OF THE GLORIES THAT WILL 47:18 BE IN THE NEXT LIFE WHEN JESUS TAKES US HOME 47:21 TO SOMEWHERE BETTER. 47:22 BUT MEANWHILE, WE HAVE A LAMB-LIKE EXISTENCE. 47:26 YOU KNOW, WE MUST LOOK AWAY FROM THIS WORLD AND SEE THIS 47:29 SCENE BEFORE US, THIS THRONE. 47:31 THE THRONE IN HEAVEN. 47:32 WELL COME BACK TO REVELATION 4 AND 5 IN OUR THINKING BECAUSE 47:36 IT'S A GREAT SCENE, ISN'T IT? 47:39 IN REVELATION 4, WE WANT TO SEE THAT THRONE ROOM SCENE, WHERE 47:45 ALL AROUND WE HAVE THE CHOIR OF HEAVEN, THE 24 ELDERS, 47:51 THE 4 LIVING CREATURES, AN ANGELIC CHOIR. 47:54 AND AS WE LOOK AT REVELATION 4 IN OUR MIND AND OUR THINKING, 48:00 WE LOOK AT THAT SCENE. 48:02 IT'S A MAJESTIC SCENE. 48:05 YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW MUCH TO KNOW THAT GOD IS ON THE THRONE 48:09 AND HE IS IN CONTROL, BECAUSE THE LAMB CAME AND TOOK THAT 48:14 BOOK AND HE'S UNSEALING IT. 48:17 AND THIS BOOK HOLDS THE DESTINY OF THE HUMAN RACE AS HISTORY 48:21 BEGINS TO UNFOLD. 48:23 BUT WE MUST NEVER TAKE OUR EYES OFF THE LAMB. 48:26 YOU KNOW, THIS SCENE OF REVELATION 4 AND 5 HAS INSPIRED 48:30 MUCH MUSIC. 48:32 AND HANDEL WROTE SOMETHING. 48:34 THIS IS THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST. 48:37 THIS IS WHERE CHRIST ASCENDS TO HEAVEN AFTER HIS DEATH AND 48:40 RESURRECTION, AND THIS IS THE PRAISE OF THE HEAVENLY CHOIRS. 48:44 KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 48:47 AND HE WILL REIGN FOREVER. 48:49 THIS IS A TRIUMPHANT ASCENSION OF CHRIST TO HEAVEN. 48:53 AND BECAUSE HE LIVES, WE WILL LIVE TOO. 48:56 LISTEN TO IT. 48:57 LISTEN TO THE HEAVENLY CHOIRS. 48:59 ♪ OMNIPOTENT REIGNETH ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 49:04 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 49:06 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ FOR THE LORD GOD ♪ 49:10 ♪ OMNIPOTENT REIGNETH ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 49:14 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 49:16 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ FOR THE LORD GOD ♪ 49:20 ♪ OMNIPOTENT REIGNETH ♪ ♪ FOR THE LORD GOD ♪ 49:26 ♪ OMNIPOTENT REIGNETH ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 49:30 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ FOR THE LORD GOD ♪ 49:34 ♪ OMNIPOTENT REIGNETH ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 49:41 ♪ THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD ♪ ♪ IS BECOME THE KINGDOM ♪ 49:51 ♪ OF OUR LORD ♪ ♪ AND OF HIS CHRIST ♪ 49:55 ♪ AND OF HIS CHRIST; ♪ ♪ AND HE SHALL REIGN ♪ 49:59 ♪ FOR EVER AND EVER ♪ ♪ AND HE SHALL REIGN ♪ 50:04 ♪ FOR EVER AND EVER ♪ ♪ AND HE SHALL REIGN ♪ 50:09 ♪ FOR EVER AND EVER ♪ ♪ FOR EVER AND EVER ♪ 50:15 ♪ FOREVER AND EVER ♪ ♪ KING OF KINGS ♪ 50:20 ♪ FOR EVER AND EVER ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 50:23 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ AND LORD OF LORDS ♪ 50:26 ♪ FOR EVER AND EVER ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 50:29 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ KING OF KINGS ♪ 50:32 ♪ FOR EVER AND EVER ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 50:35 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ AND LORD OF LORDS ♪ 50:38 ♪ FOR EVER AND EVER ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 50:41 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ KING OF KINGS ♪ 50:44 ♪ FOR EVER AND EVER ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 50:47 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ AND LORD OF LORDS ♪ 50:51 ♪ KING OF KINGS ♪ ♪ AND LORD OF LORDS ♪ 50:55 ♪ AND HE SHALL REIGN ♪ ♪ FOREVER AND EVER ♪ 51:00 ♪ AND HE SHALL REIGN ♪ ♪ FOREVER AND EVER ♪ 51:05 ♪ KING OF KINGS ♪ ♪ FOREVER AND EVER ♪ 51:09 ♪ AND LORD OF LORDS ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ 51:12 ♪ HALLELUJAH! ♪ ♪ AND HE SHALL REIGN ♪ 51:14 ♪ FOR EVER AND EVER ♪♪ 51:20 >> ONE DAY WE'LL JOIN THAT CHOIR IN HEAVEN. 51:24 WE'LL BE AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD. 51:27 HE IS KING OF KINGS AND HE IS LORD OF LORDS. 51:30 AND WE WILL SHARE THE THRONE FOREVER. 51:33 BUT MEANWHILE, WE HAVE TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE HAVE 51:37 TO KEEP OUR EYES FIXED UPON THE LAMB. 51:41 I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU AT THIS TIME. 51:43 NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE SAY OR DO 51:47 TO YOU, NEVER TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE LAMB. 51:54 SURE, THE LION WILL COME THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF 51:58 LORDS, AND WE WILL REIGN FOREVER WITH HIM, BUT HE'S 52:01 THE LAMB. 52:03 THINK OF THAT LITTLE LAMB. 52:05 ITS THROAT IS CUT. 52:07 IT'S BLEEDING. 52:09 THINK OF WHAT HE DID FOR YOU. 52:11 WHAT SHOULD WE NOT DO FOR HIM? 52:14 LET'S JUST BOW OUR HEADS. 52:18 OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHAT A WONDERFUL GOD WE SERVE. 52:23 WE SERVE A CREATOR WHO CAME AND WON THIS BATTLE BY SUBMITTING 52:29 TO THE DEATH OF CALVARY. 52:31 HE WAS LIKE THAT HELPLESS LITTLE LAMB. 52:34 HE ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BECOME HELPLESS. 52:37 HIS LIFEBLOOD WAS SHED THAT WE MIGHT BE FORGIVEN AND WE MIGHT 52:41 LIVE FOREVER AND WE MIGHT SHARE HIS THRONE. 52:45 OH, WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT. 52:47 THE FAIREST IN HEAVEN CAME DOWN TO LIVE IN OUR WORLD, TO SUFFER 52:53 AS WE SUFFER, AND EVEN MORE SO DIED FOR OUR SINS. 52:57 WELL, LORD, BLESS US AND ENCOURAGE US. 52:59 WE SERVE JESUS. 53:01 OUR EYES ARE FIXED UPON HIM AND WE PLEDGE OURSELVES AT THIS 53:05 TIME, LORD, TO KEEP OUR EYES ON THE LAMB AND NEVER, 53:10 EVER TAKE OUR EYES OFF. 53:12 ENCOURAGE US TO KEEP LOOKING, KEEP TRUSTING. 53:16 WE PRAY IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 53:22 [MUSIC] ♪ TO WRITE THE LOVE ♪ 53:27 ♪ OF GOD ABOVE ♪ ♪ WOULD DRAIN THE OCEANS DRY. ♪ 53:40 ♪ NOR COULD THE SCROLL ♪ ♪ CONTAIN THE WHOLE, ♪ 53:50 ♪ THOUGH STRETCHED ♪ ♪ FROM SKY TO SKY. ♪ 54:00 ♪ OH HALLELUJAH, JESUS. ♪ ♪ HALLELUJAH. ♪ 54:14 ♪ HIGHER THAN ♪ ♪ THE HIGHEST HEAVEN. ♪ 54:23 ♪ DEEPER THAN THE DEEPEST SEA. ♪ ♪ WIDER THAN COULD ♪ 54:37 ♪ EVER IMAGINE. ♪ ♪ YOUR GREAT LOVE FOR ME. ♪ 54:51 ♪ YOUR GREAT LOVE FOR ME. ♪ 55:03 ♪ YOUR LOVE IS HIGHER THAN ♪ ♪ THE HIGHEST HEAVEN. ♪ 55:13 ♪ IT'S DEEPER THAN ♪ ♪ THE DEEPEST SEA. ♪ 55:21 ♪ YOUR LOVE IS WIDER THAN ♪ ♪ I COULD EVER IMAGINE. ♪ 55:32 ♪ YOUR GREAT LOVE FOR ME. ♪ ♪ YOUR GREAT LOVE FOR ME. ♪ 55:48 ♪ OH, LOVE OF GOD, ♪ ♪ HOW RICH AND PURE. ♪ 55:57 ♪ HOW MEASURELESS AND STRONG. ♪ ♪ IT SHALL FOREVER, ♪ 56:10 ♪ EVERMORE ENDURE. ♪ ♪ THE SAINTS' ♪ 56:16 ♪ AND ANGELS' SONG. ♪ 56:27 ♪ HALLELUJAH JESUS. ♪ 56:53 ♪ HOLY. ♪ ♪ HOLY ♪ 57:02 ♪ HOLY ♪ ♪ HOLY ♪ 57:11 ♪ HOLY ♪ ♪ THAT'S WHAT YOU A ♪ 57:19 ♪ THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT FROM ME ♪ ♪ HOLY ♪ 57:29 ♪ HOLY ♪♪ 57:56 [APPLAUDING] |
Revised 2015-02-05