JOHN – Revelation 16
7 Angels with 7 Plagues in Bowls Poured Out.

1. What was contained in the bowls given to the seven angels? Revelation 16:1 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What reason did the angels of the waters give for bowl two and three??  Revelation 16:6 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. For what people in the Old Testament were waters dried up so they could cross over? Revelation 16:12 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. In the New Testament, does, “I am coming as a thief” always mean that we are talking about the second coming of Christ?  Revelation 16:15 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Who is blessed according to verse 15?  Revelation 16:15 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What is the physical location in Palestine for the Hebrew word Armageddon?  Revelation 16:16 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. ? Revelation 16:17-21  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Automated Transcript

<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Good morning. We are in revelation chapter 16 this morning.<inaudible> As we have been doing, we’ll start with the questions from the previous chapter as a little bit of a review and go over those. And then we’ll get into chapter 16 for our class. Let’s begin with a word of prayer gracious father in heaven. We bow before your throne continually grateful for the blessings that you shower upon us.

The blessings that we have in this country to live in land, that we have freedom to worship without fear of persecution. We know that as we go through the book of revelation, we are reading about those who at one time had that kind of Liberty. And then because of the changes and the difficulties that arose around them, they were persecuted and some suffered and some went to prison and some died for your cause.

We pray that no matter what comes in the future of this country, we might always be Christians who are of a mindset that we will endure anything for the name and for the cause of Christ. We pray that as we go through this day, and as we go through this period of study, may the things that we say, the things that we study,

be those things, which draw us closer to you and help us to walk faithfully in your path each and every day we ask that you forgive us. When we sin. We’re mindful of those who are enduring difficulties and hardships, especially those who may be dealing with COVID. At this time, we pray that you help them to recover to a full, a healthy state.

We pray for those who are still at home, pray for those who are struggling with the other difficulties, resolving, revolving around this pandemic. We pray for missionaries who are striving to be back in the mission fields and the difficulties they are enduring. And we pray for all those who are working daily in this country. We pray for the elections that are coming up this week,

and we pray that no matter what comes, we might remember that you give power to whomsoever. You will all this. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Revelation chapter 15, question number one. What did John see in heaven? Another sign. It’s just a constant reminder. John is seeing visions and signs. Okay. What was completed in this sign?

The wrath of God. Okay. So, so as we go through this, keep in mind, 15 introduces 16 and the, the following chapters. And so John says, I saw a sign and the wrath of God was completed. It was fulfilled. Okay. Chapter 15, verse two. What was the sea mixed with and who is standing on it?

Alright. Mixed with fire. And who’s standing on it. Okay. The victors, those Christians who were victorious over the beast, over his name, over the number of his name and over his image. Okay. So what are the people on the sea doing?<inaudible> All right. They’re praising God singing the song of Moses and of the lamb. How are God’s works and ways described?

All right. His works are described as great and marvelous and his ways are described as what just and true. Great. And marvelous are your ways. Oh Lord. And just, and true. Are there, sorry. Great. Marvelous. Are your works just in true are your ways? Oh, King of the saints verse verse four, question five who will come and worship before God,

the Lord. Okay. All nations. One of the things that we need to keep track of as we go through this is you go through the old Testament and there are many times where God says, I’m going to judge Israel because you’ve caused the nations around you to blast fame against me. They’re seeing your wickedness, knowing you’re supposed to be my people.

And as a result of your wickedness, they’re blaspheming against me. Well, now we’ve kind of got that reversal when God, and same is true in the old Testament. When God judges Israel, then the nations around go, Hmm, they weren’t doing it. Right. And they learn about who Jehovah is by the judgment on Israel. Well, now God is bringing this judgment on Rome and the nations are going to see it.

The nations are going to see his great and his marvelous works. They’re going to see his just and his true ways. And they, as a result are going to praise God. Okay. What was opened in heaven in verse five?<inaudible> All right. The temple of the tabernacle or the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle is opened. What came out of the temple in heaven and what was given to them verses six and seven.

Okay. Seven angels proceed forth out of the temple of God, out of the tabernacle of God and are each you’re given a plague in, in a bowl. Okay. What happened in the temple? And what was the result?<inaudible> All right. Temple’s filled with smoke from the glory of God. No one could go in. And we mentioned that in the old Testament,

numerous times, you see the tabernacle and you see even the occasions where Moses and Aaron have to leave the tabernacle of God because God’s presence comes into the tabernacle in the old Testament. And no one could stay. No one could, could be where God’s presence was. So they all departed from the tabernacle and they, they were looking at it. They were seeing it,

they were witnessing it, but they couldn’t go in. Okay. That same idea happens here when God is about to carry out his act of judgment. So kind of summarize a few things in chapter six, we begin opening the six seals or sorry, the seven seals on the scroll. That’s in the hand of God, the lamb comes and he takes the scroll and he begins to open the seals.

And we begin to see first Christ going out and conquering. Then we see the persecution that comes in the four soar judgments of God. Then we see the saints under the altar, crying out how long Oh Lord, until you judge those who are persecuting us. And then we see God’s judgment begin in a forecast of what’s to come. But then the question’s asked,

who can stand in the day of God’s judgment in the day of God’s wrath and the wrath of the lamb and chapter seven, we have the marking of the 144,000. The marking of those who can stand in the day of God’s wrath. And the answer is who can stand on the day of God’s wrath. Every one that belongs to God, everyone who has his Mark in contrast who everyone who doesn’t,

everyone who doesn’t belong to the Lord, then we get in the seventh seal, seven trumpets. And in those seven trumpets, you’re not supposed to look for an historical event. You’re not supposed to look for a historical time in the, in the time of Rome where these things are happening. You’re supposed to see God’s judgment on Egypt brought forward in a partial judgment on Rome.

So seven trumpets are seven partial judgments, but then we get to the seventh trumpet. And the seventh trumpet sounds, you enact this final declaration. The seventh trumpet sounded. And as a result of the fact that the people have not repented, I’m bringing about my full Raff. The partial judgment was to get the people to repent, to get Rome, to change your ways and they won’t do it.

And so now you have in the side, the seventh trumpet, you have this sign, this last sign that John sees, and he sees seven angels. Given seven bowls contained in the golden bowls are seven plagues. And again, we’re going to be predominantly using Egypt and the imagery of the plagues in Egypt to forecast the destruction of Rome. Before we go into this,

I want us to just spend a moment and think about Egypt. When the famine came on Egypt in the days of Joseph, what was the state of Egypt before the famine? What did they just gone through? Okay. Seven years of what? Plenty. And when God says plenty, I mean, he means plenty because they’re going to take 20% of everything that comes in those seven years.

And 20% of what came in those seven years of plenty will feed the entire nation and the nations around them for seven years of famine. So they had to stop and think about it. They had become so prosperous in those seven years of plenty. God had given them every blessing. They could imagine so much. So that 20% was all they needed for those seven years.

And more and 60% was above and beyond that they had 60%, more than half that they didn’t even need because they were able to set aside 20% and it fed them for seven years. They were able to live off of seven or off of 20%, because if they could live off of, for the next seven years, they could live off of it for that seven years.

And they’ve got 60%. They didn’t even need, but they consumed it anyway. Okay. And they’re at the height of their power. And then seven years of famine comes and all of that power, but it was consolidated in Pharaoh Before The famine, they owned their own land before the famine. They own their own cattle during the famine, as a result of their lack ability to provide for themselves and their lack of foresight in storing up what they had.

And they consumed everything they had, then they didn’t have enough. They couldn’t feed themselves. And eventually they sold their cattle to Pharaoh for food. Then they sold their land to Pharaoh for food. And eventually they said, we will become your servants for food. And all the power became consolidated in Pharaoh. And then there are rows of Pharaoh who knew not Joseph.

And instead of treating these people who were in the land of Goshen, like they were the guests in Egypt, the blessed ones that belong to God, he instead treated them like they were the slaves in Egypt. And when Pharaoh turned against the people of God, Pharaoh wrote his own nation’s death warrant. God didn’t come against Pharaoh in Egypt because Pharaoh in Egypt had become too powerful.

God didn’t come against Pharaoh in Egypt because Pharaoh in Egypt had become too burdensome to the nations around him. God came against Pharaoh in Egypt because Pharaoh in Egypt turned against God’s people. And Pharaoh said, I don’t know who this Jehovah is that I should obey him. And instead of repenting through plague one, two, three, four, five, six,

seven, eight, nine, every time when he began to relent, he changed his heart back to doing exactly what God said not to do. Okay. And on plate 10, he finally lets them go only to immediately do what pursue him and try and kill him. And ultimately you take a nation from the height of its power, to decimation of its economy,

decimation of its people, decimation of its crop, decimation of its first born and its entire army and King destroyed<inaudible> And that’s the picture God’s going to use for Rome chapter 16, verse one. Then I heard a loud voice from heaven, from the temple saying to the seven angels go and pour the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth. So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth and a foul and loathsome soar came upon the men who have the Mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

Okay. So first bowl is poured out and you have with it, a picture of the plague of boils, the sixth plague in Egypt, Exodus chapter nine, verses nine through 11. Then we read then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea and it became blood as of a dead man. And every living creature in the sea died. Now in contrast to Exodus,

again, these aren’t exact parallels. They’re using the imagery in Exodus. You have one instance where Moses goes to one body of water, whereas The river, which river, the Nile river. Okay. And the Nile river, because it is the primary, a lifeblood of Egypt. God turns it to blood in this imagery. You’ve got two separate bowls that apply to water,

turning to blood. That is the second. And the third one. So notice what we read. Verse four. Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the Springs of water and they became blood. So in the first one, sorry, the second bowl, you’ve got the ocean turned to blood, but there’s a distinct contrast by the way,

between Egypt and Rome, Rome’s power came from where, why did Rome become so powerful?<inaudible> Her access to the Mediterranean sea, her economy that lived off of the sea and her ability to move troops quickly to wherever they needed to go. And so Rome’s power was concentrated around the Mediterranean sea. Very first plague water, turning to blood, turns the sea to blood.

The second plague turns all of the inland water, the fresh water to blood. So the sea water turns to blood. The fresh water turns to blood, but then notice what we read. Verse five. Then I heard an angel of the water say you are righteous. Oh Lord. The one who is and who was, and who is to be because you have judged these things for,

they shed the blood of saints and prophets and you have given them blood to drink for it. Is there just do. Why is it according to the angel of the waters that God turns the water to blood<inaudible> Because they had killed God’s saints and his profits go all the way back to Genesis chapter 10. I believe it is. Noah comes off the Ark Noah and his children begin offering sacrifices.

They’re told they can eat of the meat of the animals, certain animals, but they weren’t to partake of the blood. They weren’t to eat the blood of the animals. And God gives a commandment in Genesis chapter 10, that when someone sheds blood, his blood would be shed. The one who kills with the sword would be killed with the sword. You go all the way back to Genesis,

chapter 10. And from that point forward, there is a theme with God, you shed blood. And by the sword, your life will be taken. And God judges Rome, because Rome had shed the blood of his saints. You, we read in previous chapters about the beast that Rose up and he tried to convince them to worship the beast. He tried to convince them to worship the dragon.

He tried to persecute them and say, if you don’t do this, you can’t buy any food. You can’t do this. And finally, if they wouldn’t give over, he’d kill them. And God said, because you killed my servants. Now, all your water’s turned to blood. Now, is there a time in Rome’s physical history where all the oceans turned to blood and all the rivers turned to blood?

No, that happened physically in Egypt, literally in Egypt, it didn’t happen physically. And literally to Rome. These are signs and visions. And by the way, there, we’re not supposed to be sitting here waiting on a time before the day of judgment, where all the rivers and all the oceans are gonna turn to blood yet, the pre-millennial lists are waiting for that one.

Pre-millennial this writer said that first, the oceans are going to turn to blood. And then the fresh water is going to turn the blood in and there’s going to be a run on Coca-Cola. And even that’s going to run out. What do you think Coca-Cola is made out of Anyway? So the third angel declares that this judgment is just that this judgment is true.

All throughout revelation. You got this constant reminder. God is no arbitrary. Judge. God is no arbitrary. Judge who sits on the throne and just deals out judgment at a whim. He’s given them opportunity. He’s even sent go back to previous chapters angels out to declare the gospel, to give them time to repent. He brought partial judgment to give them time to repent.

And they didn’t it’s God’s judgment is just right. But then he, we read and I heard another from the altar saying, even so Lord God almighty true and righteous are your judgments. So not only does the angel of the waters declare it, but another angel from the alter declares, then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun and power was given to him to scorch men with fire and men were scorched with great heat.

And they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues. And they did not repent and give him Lori. Now, this is one of those times where you don’t have a direct parallel to the Exodus Plagues. You Don’t have a direct parallel to something that happened in Egypt, but interestingly, You have a very good parallel to the book of numbers.

Two judgments that God enacted on the people of God who came out of Egypt and then turned against Moses numbers. Chapter 16, verses 34 and 35. You have God destroying the 250 Levi’s that sided with Cora in the rebellion against Moses. And they are killed by fire from the Lord. But then also in numbers, chapter 11, verses one through three,

you have God destroying the outer edges of the camp, which is by the way, where all the Gentiles who came out of Egypt with the, Your lights. Because if you didn’t realize it, a bunch of Gentiles came out of Egypt with the Israelites, God burned up the outer edges of the camp because of their groaning and moaning and complaining against Because of their predicament.

Okay? So numbers 11 and number 16, both provide a picture again of God’s judgment against those who will not conform and will not be obedient to him, but then, Sorry, plague chapter. Yeah. And get my tongue untied here. Plague number five, bold number five, Verse 10. Then The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast.

And his kingdom became full of darkness and they, their tongues because of the pain, they blast fiend the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores and did not repent of their deeds. Now I think the pains in the swords probably hearkens all the way back to the first plague, the plague of boils. So, you know, they’re, they’re going through all of this.

They’re experiencing all of this and now they’re, they’re surrounded by darkness Had nothing but pain. And again, yeah, Not looking for a time in history. When Rome turned to black, we’re looking at spiritual judgment that would result in physical judgment On Rome. But The plague that it relates to back in Exodus is the ninth plague. The plague before the death of the first born was darkness.

And we read about the darkness in Egypt, how the darkness came over it and they just sat in their houses because they couldn’t see, you could turn on a light, you can light a candle and you wouldn’t be able to see the candle. You couldn’t see anything. And so they just sat for days in darkness, But here you’ll notice something interesting as there they’re in the darkness,

as they’re there in their pain, is there, they’re in their anguish. Is there, they’re in the judgment of God? What do they do? I do. They repent not, but what do they do? They blast theme. God, It’s not just previous the previous bowl. They didn’t repent. It’s not just that they didn’t repent, but they blasphemed God above and beyond the fact they would not repent.

They are so unrelenting in their evil doing in their iniquity and in their sin that they will blame God for their situation. And you will meet people like this. You will meet people. So steeped in sin and iniquity in your life that it doesn’t matter what happens to them. God will be at fault, even if they’re the ones who put themselves in that situation.

Yeah. And I mean, this shouldn’t surprise you After all doesn’t Satan know his judgment’s coming. Does it say no one’s going to be involved in it. Is he going to repent? Okay. Oh, why are we surprised When people do the same? And this Is the perspective we have here with Rome, then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and on,

and its water was dried up. So that the way of the Kings from the East might be prepared. Now we’re entering into a discussion here in this bowl that a lot of the pre millennialist start suggesting, all right, here are the Kings of the East. Now this is China. And these are the Kings. And how hold on, Hold on.

Number one, we have Lots of people in the old Testament who are referenced as coming from the East because in view of Israel, everybody that crossed the Euphrates river came from the East. Cyrus is declared to have come from the East, from the rising sun. This is the place where Their nations, Babylon, Syria, all of them came from The East.

But here’s two important Times in history that this could have referenced too. Okay? Because again, we’re all we’re dealing with. Old Testament imagery. One time is Daniel chapter five, Daniel Chapter five. You read about Daniel As an old man and Bell dish. Azure is on the throne and bell to Shazard the great grandson or the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar decides to throw a party.

And he throws A party. And in the midst of taking all of the vessels from the temple and all the golden things from the temple and pouring wine in it and drinking from them in this carousing party, he then sees a hate. Yeah. And writing on the wall, It’s written in such a tongue that he doesn’t understand what it means. And so someone informs him that there’s this one,

Daniel who in the days of his father could reveal signs and visions. And so he brings Daniel in and Daniel says that your kingdom has been weighed in the balances and found, And that very night Babylon falls. But do you know how it fell? Cyrus, the great leading the Medes and the Persians dammed up And diverted the Euphrates river. You see Babylon was built right on top of the Euphrates river,

the river flowed under the walls Of Babylon. The value Of that is if you besiege a city, the thing they run out of food First, typically is water. And if you have no water, you can’t live. So Babylon was able withstand being besieged because the river float under the wall, they always had water Cyrus figured out, you know what?

If I die, just divert the great Euphrates river he did. And he walked his men in the river bed under the wall and took the city in one night. That could be the picture we have here. The picture of the Medes and the Persians destroying Babylon completely in one night. That could be it, or it could be this what people let’s,

let’s go back and read the verse one more time. Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and its water was dried up. So that the way of the Kings from the East might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet for,

they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of the great day of God almighty. Okay. There’s Kings that are going to come through and they’re going to cross on what on dry ground. What group of people all throughout the old Testament, get to cross water on dry ground.

God’s people see the pre millennialist want this to be the Kings allied with the beast and the nations rising up to, to defeat God’s people in the gray battle of Armageddon, but either way, whether the picture is of Cyrus, who’s doing God’s bidding or of Israel who crossed the red sea on dry ground, who crossed the Jordan river on dry ground, the or Elijah,

the prophet of God who divided the Jordan river and crossed on dry ground or Elijah, the prophet of God who crossed the river on dry ground. Doesn’t matter which picture you want to take from the old Testament. Everybody who crossed on dry ground belonged to God. And when you step over to chapter 19 and you see the battle, that’s actually being forecasted here,

who’s in the battle. It’s the beast and his servants against Christ and his servants, the Kings here, the Kings from the East. They’re not the servants of the bees. They’re the servants of God, either way. It doesn’t matter which picture you want to use. So we’ve got this angel, he pours out the bowl, a great route on the great river,

Euphrates it dries up the Kings of the East, come through and their way is prepared. Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs. Okay. W where else? We have a picture of frogs In the old Testament aged And interestingly, wasn’t it, Egypt. And wasn’t it. The plague of frogs where Pharaoh, I asked for one more night, you remember Moses comes,

he sends for Moses, he’s a get rid of these frogs. And Moses says, okay, when do you want me to get rid of them? And Pharaoh says Does tomorrow now, why is it that Pharaoh would want, as my Father has always preached a sermon one more night with The frogs and the answers because the frogs were deities in Egypt, They were like every plague.

They were just one more God that the Egyptians. And so he wanted one more night with the frogs, but then he wanted them gone here. You’ve got the frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. You remember, we said the other beast, the third bees that come up,

it comes up from the lamb land, looks like a lamb, but he speaks with the voice of a dragon. He’s the false prophet. He’s the one speaking perverse things. Okay. So you’ve got the two BS, the false prophet and the CBS and the dragon. And they’re all speaking these things. And they’re gathering people For a battle. Is,

is there coming a day in the time of Rome where there’s going to be a great battle between the servants of God Yawn and the centurions of Rome? No. Okay. Matter of fact, when Peter draws his sword to defend his Lord, what is Jesus? Tell him, put away. And when Islet, inquires G with Jesus about whether or not he’s the King that he claims to be,

What does Jesus say? My kingdom is None of this world, but what’s the last half of the statement for, if it was Then would my servants fight The forecast of a great coming battle between God’s servants and Satan’s servants, where there’s going to be a physical battle in the Valley of Maketto Again, because price kingdom isn’t of this world. So notice what happens.

They are the spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out for the, out to the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of the great day of God, almighty behold, I am coming as a thief, excuse me, behold. I am coming as a thief, bless it. As he who watches and keeps his garments,

he walk naked and they see his shame and they gathered them together to the place in Hebrew Armageddon. Now the Hebrew word Armageddon is simply the Hebrew word for the Valley of Maketto. This was a Valley. It was a plane where many battles in Hebrew history and in Israel’s history were fought including the battle where Josiah dies would happen there in the plane of a ghetto.

So this is not an unusual thing. It’s very similar to the idea of when Jesus said to beware of the one who can destroy both your soul and body in Gahanna, and yet Gahanna wasn’t some exclusively, some spiritual place. It was a Valley outside of the city in Jerusalem. It was a Valley where those old Testament people had built their altars and sacrifice their children to false gods,

and eventually became a burning trash heap. It Was a physical place that carried with it, a spiritual connotation. So is the Valley of Ben ghetto. So is Armageddon. It’s not some future battleground where God’s people are going to take on Satan’s people. And then No, no. We’re going to pick up here In verse 16 and go through the end of the chapter on Wednesday night.

But I want us to just, as we go through 16, as we get to the end, remember what’s coming In 17. Remember that when you Get to chapter 17 and you first get into that vision, John sees The great harlot, which is the great city, which we already know is Rome. And she’s riding the beast and the beast has seven heads and 10 horns.

And it’s the dragon. And you’re getting a picture of Rome and it’s persecuting power. That’s about to come on the Christians. But remember, we already read Dad Babylon. The great is fallen is fallen before, Or we ever get started before any of the armies come to the great battle of the, of God almighty before anybody gathers in the plane of the ghetto before any of this visionary picture of a great battle between God and Satan,

the end has all ready. Been declared, Babylon loses Just the same way. God said Babylon in all her greatness and the pinnacle of her might would fall in one Night In the old Testament. And it did. So here we carry forward. Those images we carry forward. Those pictures will open cha Wednesday night with the seventh bowl and verse 17. Thank you for your attention.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> yeah.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Good morning.

Welcome to the Collierville church Christ Sunday morning worship service. It is great to see each and every one of you out this morning, those of you that are visiting with us, it is very great that you chose us to come worship our God with this morning. We are so glad that you are here. It’s great to see Gary and Maggie Kali out this morning and spent a long time since we’ve seen you guys.

It’s really, really good to see you out visitors. If you would, if you have a chance, please fill out a visitor’s card and put it in the collection basket in the back, or just leave it sitting on the Pew and we’ll pick it up later. If you did not get your chance to pick up the Lord’s supper. Now it’d be a good time to do it.

And just prepared on the tables in the back of the worship hall here, please get that. If you did not get it earlier on your way in, on our sick list, please continue to remember Joan Springer, Dorothy Wilson, and Janet Jones, as they all continue to work through their various problems and medical conditions that they have. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers,

Laurie white, who is a friend of the coats arts has COVID-19. So please pray for Lori White. Jessica Dale is having some stomach issues and she’s to have some tests very soon. So please keep Jessica and your thoughts and prayers, and then Robin woods who’s Jessica’s mother. You know, they’re out in Arizona recently to see her because she had bypass surgery. So continue to pray for Jessica and her recovery process as that probably is going to be quite lengthy for her.

So please keep robbing in your thoughts and prayers. Guests song leader today is Matthew Brotherton and his great thank for to you for coming to lead our song service this morning, LA mentioned the Dale’s ready to kindness that they were back from Arizona. They did have a rather lengthy eventful trip on the way back, but it was good that our good Lord saw to bring them back to us safely.

And we were thankful for that. The Potter children’s home, November pantry item is the ranch dressing says you have an opportunity. Please purchase that and bring it by the church building here. And then for the man, our November business meeting will be on Monday the 9th of November at 7:00 PM here at worship hall. That’s all of our announcements for this morning. Our service today,

our song leader will be Matthew Brotherton, opening prayers, Joel caisson. I will be conducting the Lord’s supper. Our sermon would be brother Aaron Cozort and our closing prayer will be Murray Springer. Thank you. If you are using your som book, I would like to turn there. The first song this morning will be number 797 number 797. Lord. We comm<inaudible><inaudible> Lord on the<inaudible><inaudible> and<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> grant that.

Oh man. Hey,<inaudible> fine.<inaudible><inaudible> free.<inaudible> and The sound before our opening prayer be number three, song number three. Yeah.<inaudible> from the heathens spreads his name<inaudible><inaudible> on high praise him. Oh, he have<inaudible><inaudible> is a guy and his<inaudible> and his<inaudible> and his<inaudible> guy<inaudible> they were amazing. That is Matt and them for AF or he has up his<inaudible> from the earth,

grace. Oh, Oh, Searchie drag. And so fire and<inaudible> army wins that hear him call<inaudible> for his name.<inaudible> is a guy and his glow. So really his XO and his clothes. So, and his<inaudible> guy. Oh, he fruit for trees.<inaudible> Oh, ye Hills and mountains, high creeping things and be sand<inaudible> Kings of earth and Oh,

he Prince’s grade hers. Judge is, Oh, praise his name young man. And man, Hey Dan’s Hey chit man. And children’s small<inaudible> for his name alone, his high and his glow. So really is it so to it and his glue. So<inaudible> and his<inaudible> far up, up there and this guy That’s bow, Oh God, our father in heaven,

we truly are grateful to the, for your love for us. And for the privilege that we have to come here to this day in worship, they were grateful God for these songs of praise, it we’ve been able to sing to the, and we pray father, as we sing these songs that we are giving the, the glory and the honor and praising your name.

And we’re also trying to admonish one another. As we sing these songs, we’re thankful for Matthew that is leading them today. And we pray that you be with him as he continues to lead our songs, service. We’re grateful father for all of our visitors today. And it’s so nice to have them to come and worship with us. We pray father that we might worship you in spirit and in truth and,

and be able to gain those thoughts. Aaron would bring to us in a few moments to help strengthen our faith and to glorify your name father, where mind mindful those that are have been able to the congregation. We would ask that you be with Jessica and pray that she might get better and be with her mother as she’s recovering from her surgery. It’s good to have Pam back with us today and pray that she would continue to improve.

And also Sylvia probably that she will also continue to improve her health. Father’s good to see the colleagues here today, and we’re thankful that they’re doing well, and we’re glad they’re back in our midst. And we would pray for those that are still unable to be with us, especially those of our widows and pray that you be with them and help us to encourage them through this particular time in our lives.

Father were mindful of those that are taking care of the young people at Potter. We pray father that they will continue on with that great work there that the young people will be able to learn how to live their lives. And also to hopefully obey the gospel is as they’re taught your word at that facility, father help us each day, that we were mindful of those that are teaching and preaching your word and other lands.

And other countries probably will continue to support them and, and pray for them and for their safety. And that many souls might hear the word of God and be become obedient to it and become your children. Father were mind for the efforts that we put forth here to evangelize this community. We pray that you give us the strength and the courage to share your word with those in this area,

that they too might come to the knowledge of your will and want to be obedient to it. Father, we pray for our nation and we pray that we might help in some way to influence those in leadership roles, to look back to the principles that you have for us to live our lives by and guide our nation in that direction, that we might be a more godly people by the way,

pray that you continue to strengthen us seat day. As, as time goes by that, we draw closer to you that we’re able to encourage one another to live lives that would be pleasing unto you and glorify your name FSE each day, that we will reach out to those in this community and try to demonstrate our love for them and, and help us to be patient and long suffering and compassionate towards our fellow man,

and pray that we might strengthen the body here and encourage one another. We’re thankful for these times that we can be together to worship you and pray it, it will be pleasing unto you help us to go through life and, and, and remember how much he loved us and that we should love one another in light manner. Bless us NAS. We continue our worship service.

We pray that as time goes by that our lives are such that we might have that home in heaven with the, and Jesus, we pray amen. Song to prepare our minds to the Lord supper be number 315. Number three, one five. When I survey the wondrous cross, When I serve<inaudible> on which the friends<inaudible><inaudible> and pork on. Oh,

ma hi, I paid for,<inaudible> say fin, dad of Christ. My like, Oh, thing. Things that jar me Mo so I sacrifice them to, eh, is see from his<inaudible>. So<inaudible> me saying go down<inaudible> and<inaudible> me need<inaudible> thorns come. Oh, so rich ground. We’re the whole<inaudible> that<inaudible> too small.

So, so<inaudible> so the demands, my, so my life ma hi, Oh, To further help prepare our minds for the partaking of the Lord’s supper. I’m going to read this morning from Luke chapter 22, starting in verse 14, when the hour had come, he sat down and the 12 apostles with him, and he said to them with fervent desire,

I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer for, I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them saying, this is my body, which is given for you do this in remembrance of me.

Likewise, he also took the cup after supper saying this cup is the new covenant of my blood, which is shed for you. God, our father in heaven would come to you at this time, thanking you for the sacrifice you made of sending your son Jesus to earth, to die for us, the centers. But most importantly, while your son was here,

he taught us the ways that you want us to live taught us how to be a Christian like him. We know it was painful for you and for him to suffer on that cross. But we are thankful that he did it for us to center. We pray this through Jesus Christ. Amen.<inaudible> Let us give thanks for the fruit of the vine God,

our father, as we prepare to take the fruit of the vine, help us to remember what it represents. And that is, it represents the blood that your son shed for our sins so that our sins may be washed away so that we would have that opportunity to one day live with you and Jesus in heaven. We are so thankful that you sent your son Jesus to die on that cross for us.

We cannot thank you enough. We pray all these things in your son’s name. Amen. This time we’d like to pray to our God for the opportunity to give back God, our father. We come to you again, thanking you for each and everything that you do for each and every one of us, we truly do understand as Christians, that everything we have comes through you and from you,

and if it was not for you and your son, Jesus, we would have nothing to include that opportunity to live with you forever in heaven. As we prepare to give back a material portion of the blessings that we’ve been so richly blessed with by you, we ask that you help each and every one of us do in a thoughtful and cheerful manner. And we ask that you help the men of this congregation oversee and provide guidance from you,

with you, for how these funds to be distributed, to help distribute your word to those that have not as fortunate as us to have having have heard the opportunity to hear your word and to become Christians and servants of yours. We pray this through your son, Jesus name. Amen. If you’d like to Mark the song after the that’ll be number 907 number 907.

The song before the lesson will be number 543, number 543. And please stand if you are able wonderful words of life, Seeing them over again to me, wonderful words.<inaudible> wonderful words of life words.<inaudible> wonderful words. Wonderful words.<inaudible> two wonderful words. Wonderful word of life Christ. Bless it. One gives two wonderful words.<inaudible> wonderful word.<inaudible> Oh,

so<inaudible>,<inaudible> forward to wander for words. Wonderful word.<inaudible> wonderful words.<inaudible> two wonderful words.<inaudible> jeez,<inaudible> wander for words.<inaudible> four words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life. You may be seated. Good morning. It is good to have each and every one of you with us, especially those who’ve been away. Those who’ve been traveling and those who’ve been away because of the virus.

It’s good to have all of you present. We’re going to focus our study in Zechariah chapter 13. But as we begin in that section of scripture, you may remember that we read, as we closed last Sunday, Zechariah chapter 12, we read that they would look upon him whom they pierced the Messiah. The Christ would be pierced. John chapter 19 beginning in verse 34,

going down through verse 37. We read about that incident and Zechariah will tell us that’s coming because Zechariah is the prophet that bridges the old and the new Testament. He is the one who bridges the old Testament prophets and all that. They said about Israel and the new Testament where God’s kingdom and its true Israel in spiritual Israel would fulfill so many prophecies, but we concluded last Sunday was Zechariah chapter 13 in verse one where God said,

I will open a fountain in Israel for sin and for uncleanness in the shedding, in the smiting of Christ in the piercing of the one who was on the cross, salvation would come. But as we get into chapter 13, you need two other passages in my mind to truly get a grasp on the things stated in Zechariah 13. Now remember chapter 12,

13 and 14 are all one prophecy, but they’re kind of broken up into sections throughout that section or throughout those passages. Zachariah would write in that day. And we’re going to read in that day in verse one, we’re going to read it again in verse two, we’re going to read it again in verse seven, not referencing a single solitary 24 Hours a day,

but God bringing about the full Film. It of all that. He said Two passages that I mentioned. One of them is an old Testament passage and an older a farmer prophet. And that’s a Zeke Yoel chapter 36 Zeke chapter 36 beginning in verse 19. When you begin to understand what God told Israel in his Z Kiehl’s Day, and You begin to look forward to Zechariah’s day you’ll You see the connections?

Well then in the new Testament in Matthew chapter 26 beginning in verse 21, going down through verse 32 Jesus in the upper room with his apostles, you will see that as well. Let’s begin in Zechariah chapter 13, keep your fingers. If you, if you’ve already turned to those passages in his EQL and Matthew, you might want to keep a ribbon there cause we’ll be there shortly.

Chapter 13 verse one of Zechariah reads in that day, a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin. And for uncleanness, God says, I am opening up a fountain, a bringing forth of salvation that would flow forth from the one who was smitten from the one who was Pierce from the one who belonged to God.

And it was going to be for sin and for uncleanness because Israel had a problem and we have a problem. And that problem is sin. And you and I, as we stand before, God is Israel is stood before God throughout the centuries cannot deal with that problem. Yeah, No man who sinned and fallen short of the glory of God wrote Romans chapter three,

verse 23 can deal with that problem by himself. No man, who has garnered for himself, the wages of sin, Romans chapter six, verse 23, which is death can then reconstitute himself as righteous before God, without Help. Hebrews chapter nine, the Hebrew writer writes this To those first century, Christians Hebrews chapter nine. And in verse 14, actually let’s go to verse 13 for if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer Sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh.

How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. The Hebrew writer makes it clear in Hebrews chapter nine, that the blood of bulls and goats cannot nor could it ever take away sin. It was insufficient for the purpose, separate from the blood of Christ,

but the blood of Christ was shed that we might have not our flesh cleansed, but our conscience and our hearts completely consecrated to God. But then also turn to first Peter first Peter chapter one, Peter writes to these Christians and he says beginning in verse 17. And if you call on the father who without partiality judges, according to each one’s work conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear,

knowing that you are not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold or for, or for excuse me from your aimless conduct received by the tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot Peter, okay. Writes to these Christians and reminds them your life, your actions, and your choices must be lived out in view of the cost of your redemption because no man with enough gold or enough silver could buy as redemption,

no man with enough riches and enough glory could bring about his own salvation. Only through the blood of Christ, is that possible? But in revelation, chapter one, as John would write to the churches, we read beginning in verse four, grace to you and peace from him who is and who was, and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are before his throne and from Jesus Christ,

the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler over the Kings of the earth, to him who loved us and notice this phrase and washed us from our sins in his own blood Hebrew writer And Peter and John make it clear that the fountain for sin and for uncleanness That was opened for the son of David and for the city of Jerusalem and not for them,

But for every nation was the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross for you and for me. But we would be negligent if we, We proclaimed the value of the blood of Christ proclaimed, the salvation of the blood of Christ proclaimed the redemptive power of the blood of Christ. And it didn’t tell anyone To contact the blood. Romans chapter six makes it clear That when you are buried with Christ in the watery grave of baptism,

you die with Christ. You come in contact with the blood of Christ and in Christ Death, you are given newness of life and you ride Guys up out of that watery grave of baptism no longer in old debt Person, but a new person in Christ That day of fountain shall be open for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin.

And for uncleanness, it shall be in that day, says the Lord of hosts that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land. They shall no longer be remembered. I will call. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirits to depart from The land. This is a part of the section here in chapter 13, that hearkens back to his equal 36,

God would tell Israel in the words of his Eagle, through the prophet, Ezekiel, that God was going to cleanse them. He wasn’t just going to cleanse them from seeing he was going to cleanse them from their ongoing problem of idolatry. Turn over two is equal 36, Ezekiel 36 beginning in verse, 19 Teen Gone through a Z Gil says to Israel.

So I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the countries. I judge them according to their ways and their deeds notice. First and foremost that his Eagle says, God judged you. God took you out of Israel. God brought you into captivity. He scattered you over the face of the earth because you deserved it. But notice he goes on.

He says, when they came to the wherever they went, they profaned my Holy name. When they said of them, these are the people of the Lord. And yet they have gone out of his land. God says my name was profaned. My name was blasphemed. My name was no longer. Holy. It had become common because you in your idolatry,

where had you in your idolatry had to be cashed out from your land here. The people, the nations around you say there are the people of Jehovah, but those people of Jehovah are being taken into captivity. And it was a blight, not just on them, but on the name of the Lord. He says, when they come to the nations,

wherever they went, they profaned my Holy name. When they said of them, these are the people of the Lord. And yet they have gone out of his land. But I had concern for my Holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations, wherever they went, therefore say to the house of Israel, thus as the Lord,

God, I do not do this for your sake. Oh, house of Israel, but for my Holy namesake, which you have profaned among the nations, wherever you went, as the people went out of the land, you might imagine the conversation would have happened. How did this happen to Israel? How did this happen to Judah? How did Jerusalem fall?

And you Might imagine that those wicked Israelites that had been judged would say, it’s all God’s fault. He turned against us. Jehovah did this to us and we didn’t deserve it. God makes it clear. You’re not going to speak about me that way. I’m going to make clear why it is you suffered And why it is you were scattered and you and the nations around.

You will know Who I am. So then notice what we read Verse 23. And I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. And the nations shall know that I am. The Lord says the Lord, God, when I am hallowed in you before their eyes, God says, when I am made Holy in your sight before them they’ll know who I am for,

I will take from among the nations or take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.

I will take the hardest stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will keep my judgments And do them. And notice this phrase here in verse 28, then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You shall be my people and I will be your God.

Zee. Gil makes it clear. God would take them out of the land. And as they went out, they would profane the name of God. But God wanted them to know before they ever left. I’m going to be made Holy in your sight. And I’m going to be made Holy in the sight of all the nations around you. Because as I brought you out of the land at the hand of the Babylonians,

I’m going to bring you back Into the land by My hand, and by my name and all the nations who saw you leave will really Guys that I didn’t turn against you. You turned against me, but now I’m bringing my remnant back And no longer will my remnant be those who are, who are dealing with idolatry no longer would my remnant be those who are worshiping and going after other gods,

my remnant will be my People. So back in Zechariah, chapter 13, we read it. She’ll be in that day, says the Lord of hosts That I will cut off the names of the idols from the land. Remember Zechariah’s the bridge as EQL And these events have already happened in Zechariah’s day. They’re already back in the land, but he’s taking the verbiage and the imagery of Zack of Ezekiel 36.

And he’s carrying it forward Because there would be a day. There would be a day when the servant of God would come where the servant of God and the shepherd of God would be present in the land. And God himself would manifest himself to them. And instead of worshiping God in their presence, They would deny him Instead of praising him for God, being in their presence and doing mighty and wonderful works and doing these things that Christ did before their eyes,

I would say, show us another sign. And then we’ll believe God told them over and over and over again, I’m going to do this. And yet they wouldn’t Worship him. It shall be in that day. Yeah. And I will cut off the names of the idols from the land and they shall no longer be remembered. I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.

Be careful In this text Because it sounds like God’s going to stop speaking through the profits. And that’s not what you’re Reading the profits here in verse three, Two, going through verse six are not God’s Profits. They’re Not speaking on behalf of Jehovah. These are false prophets. Notice what we read it shall come to pass that if anyone’s still prophesies than his father and mother who the guardian will say to him,

you shall not live because you have spoken lies in the name of the Lord. Now wait a minute. Did God’s prophets speak? No. Did God’s servants declare his word and lie when they were doing No. Who did The prophets who claimed to belong to the Lord? But didn’t the ones who claim to speak the word of God, but spoke only of themselves.

And if you go back to Deuteronomy chapter 13 and Deuteronomy chapter 18, the law said that when one came forward and spoke a prophecy that was shown to be false, that declared them to be a false prophet. Their own family was to testify against them. There were those who were closest weren’t to hide them. Weren’t a secret them away. So no one knew that the,

this person was leading people away from the Lord. They were to stay in and declare them to be What they were traders to Israel. And those who were false prophets notice what we read and his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies. And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision. When he prophesies,

they will not wear a robe of course, hair to deceive, but he will say, I am no prophet. He says, there’s coming a day. When, because you will be shown to be false profits because of what I will do because of my salvation. Everyone will know, Everyone Will know you’re not Profit. And even you will be ashamed.

And you see what you normally would have called a vision. When you see what you normally would have prophesied that people you’ll hide it. You won’t put on the garments of a prophet and go parading yourself before the people, because they know you’re a liar. Steady says, they will say, I am no prophet. I am a farmer for a man,

taught me to keep cattle from my youth. This is taken from Amos. Chapter seven. Amos will declare himself to not be a profit. Just a simple sheep. Herder aim Is his declaration is God’s doing this, not me. The false prophets carry forward. That phrase ideology to say, I’m not a prophet at all. So they do not have to declare their false prophecies.

And one will say to him, what are these wounds between your arms, that or in your palms, depending upon the translation, then he will answer those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. There’s a passage in Proverbs that speaks concerning the wounds of a friend, Proverbs chapter 27, verse six, the wounds of a friend that is the one who’s willing to love you enough to tell you the truth.

When you’re wrong, the wounds you get from someone who’s willing to correct you, Even When it might cost them your friendship. I think that may be what this passage is talking about. These false prophets have been admonished. They have been corrected. They have been set straight Right by those who love them. Then in chapter 13, verse seven, we have the second Half of the prophecy verse seven Oh Waco sword against my shepherd.

Now, if you go back to the previous chapters of Zechariah, you will find that God’s shepherd was the one who came and supplanted. The evil shepherds, the ones who weren’t caring for the flock, the ones who weren’t tending the sheep, the ones who were feeding themselves off of the flock, the ones who had no interest whatsoever in God’s people, but only themselves and God’s shepherd would come in and would correct the situation.

But ultimately the flock would be asked of how much value am I to you. And they would offer the response of the wages of a slave that had been injured. 30 pieces of silver God’s shepherd, Who would do this for his people would then be smitten by his people. But here in chapter 13, verse seven, the people aren’t doing it This mighty God is so,

Hey, wait, wait, wait, wait. I thought Israel killed Jesus. I fought the scribes and the Pharisees and the chief priests and the people killed. I thought pilot put Jesus on the cross. They did. And they did, but turn to Isaiah chapter 53 and Isaiah chapter 53. Again, the former prophets set clarity for Zechariah’s prophecies. They had chapter 53 beginning in verse four.

As we read about the sacrifice of our Lord, we read surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed Him stricken smitten by who smitten by God and afflicted, but he was wounded for our transgressions. Isaiah declares, the suffering servant, Isaiah declares the Messiah to be one who is smitten for our transgressions wounded for our iniquity. But he only had to suffer because we put him there,

but he was smitten by God and afflicted smitten by God in one way, because God is a just, and a true judge and sin cannot go on punished or unpaid for. And so by God, he was smitten. Oh way go sword, verse seven against my shepherd against the man who is my companion, says the Lord of hosts strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.

Then I will turn my hand against the little ones, turn to Matthew chapter 26. We Know this is a reference to Christ because Christ said, so Matthew chapter 26 beginning in verse 21, No. Now as they were eating, he said, assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray me. And they were exceedingly sorrowful. And each one of them began to say,

Lord, is it I? And he answered and said, he who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me. The son of man, indeed goes just as it is written of him. But woe to that, man, by whom the son of man is betrayed, it would have been good for that man, that if he had been born Then Judas,

who was betraying him answered and said, rabbi is it I, he said to him, You have said it. And as They were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, take eat. This is my body. And he took the cup and gave things and gave it to them saying drink from it.

All of you for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins. Now, wait a minute. What is it that Christ says was shed for the remission of sins, His blood that’s chapter 13, verse one. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day,

when I drink it new with you in my father’s kingdom. And when they had sung a hymn and they went out to mountain mountain, the Mount of olives, then Jesus said to them, all of you will be made to stumble because of me This night for it is written. I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.

But After I have been raised, I will go before you, You to Galilee in Ezekiel 36, God tells his people. I have scattered you, that I might bring you back. I have caused you to endure the hardship of being scattered so that I might cleanse you of the sin that you can overcome on your own. But my redeemed remnant will come back to me.

And in Matthew 26, Jesus said, this night, you will stumble because of me this night, you will be scattered, but those who are faithful, you’ll be gathered back to me in Zachariah Chapter 13, verse seven, we read away, go sword against my shepherd against the man who is my companion, says the Lord of hosts strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.

Then I will turn my hand against the little ones and it shall come to pass in. All the land says the Lord, that two thirds in it shall be cut off and die. But one third shall be left in it. I will bring one third through the fire will refine them as silver is refined and test them as Old is tested, they will on my name and I will answer them.

I will say, remember the end of the ZQ 36, when God breaks Brings his people back. When they’re cleansed of their idolatry. When they again have God’s name hallowed in them, when they again realize who Jehovah is, when they again have been brought back as part of the covenant people of God. When the remnant returns, God says, this is my people.

And God says, I will bring one third of them through the fire. We’ll refine them. Silver is refined and test them. As gold is tested, they will call on my name. We’ll answer them. I will say this is by people. And each one will say, the Lord is my God. In this passage, you see two flocks of God,

two third, the majority they won’t repent. And they’ll perish one third, the minority, the remnant of God, they’ll repent. They’ll come home. They’ll return to God and God will return to them. And in rebel or excuse me, Romans chapter 11, you see that picture Of the remnant of God’s people that always exists. Those who will always turn back to God.

You know, it’s going to be interesting that you’re going to find, even in the church, those False prophets who turned people away from God, Those who would even say that Christ didn’t die for them. They’ll deny his very existence. They’ll deny his sacrifice. They’ll deny the purchase price. And yet they claim to be Christian, But not God’s faithful.

God’s faithful will remember. They will know the price that was paid for them. That the sword of God smoked down the servant of God for you. And for me, if you’re outside the body of Christ this morning, you’re outside of the place where salvation is found. We read in the new Testament that Christ died for every single one of us to purchase our redemption.

But we also read, he died For his church to purchase her redemption. If you’re outside the body of Christ, you’re outside of the blood of Christ. You’re outside of the church of Christ. And you need to change that because it’s the only place where salvation is found. But if you are a member of the body of Christ and you’ve become much like old Testament,

Israel or new Testament, Israel, and you’ve forgotten your God and you’re no longer his people, you can repent. You can change. You can be restored for. There is still a fountain for sin and for uncleanness today, if you have need of restoration, or if you have need of remission of sins that is available to you this morning, why not come forward now?

As we stand in, as we sing,<inaudible> sweet.<inaudible> and here<inaudible> upon your<inaudible> here. That labor and are heavy.<inaudible><inaudible> well hook. If you take his yoke for, he is me.<inaudible> this bird and to him, turn, he who call it<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> that labor and are heavy.<inaudible> man, I give you a list then is loving tender boy.

So bang<inaudible> bird and a big find a kid’s hand is on you. Hey,<inaudible> for his<inaudible><inaudible> upon your dear Lord, bruh. He that labor and are heavy.<inaudible><inaudible> well, if you Sam, for our closing prayer, be number 738 number 738. Take the name of Jesus with you. Take the name of Jesus with you,

child of sorrow. And so it well, joy and comfort. If you take it, then wherever you go. So precious<inaudible> whole house. We hope and joy<inaudible> Oh, house we<inaudible>. Oh, earth and joy up. Take the name of Jesus for as a shield from every snare of temptations around you. Again, the brief that Holy name and prayer,

precious name, a name O house we owe birth and joy up precious<inaudible> Oh, house. We go to hope earth and joy up. Oh, precious name. Archie is how it thrills our souls when his loving arms<inaudible> and his songs are tongues and<inaudible> Oh, house. We need hope Baba birth and joy.<inaudible> Oh, house, we ready?

Oh, Baba birth and joy up. You bow with me. I got in her father in heaven. We’re thankful to de Jesus Christ and well his death and his suffering on the cross of Calvary father banking reconciliation with the father in us, bringing us back to the we’re thankful for this opportunity that we’ve had to hear your words spoken to awful prayers and to the take of the Lord’s supper give around means father.

And here are those things that are beneficial to us from that word we ask that you would be with us as we depart and go to our homes and you would bring us back father when the time is right. These things we asked in Christ’s name. Amen.

Automated Transcript

The thing I love about technology is it always works. Oh, we are in revelation, chapter 11 and 12 today, revelation chapter 11 and chapter 12, we just have a little bit to finish in chapter 11,

and then we will proceed into chapter 12. Let’s begin with a word of prayer, our gracious father in heaven. We come before you grateful for the blessings. You showered upon us on a daily basis, grateful for all that you do for us in good times, and in hard times, grateful for your love and your care, your concern, your loving kindness.

That is granted to us that though we do not deserve it. You have bestowed upon humanity, and we are so grateful for it. We’re grateful most, especially for your son who came and died on the cross for our sins. The lamb that was slain, and yet is standing before the throne. The one who conquers the one who is victorious, the one who will sit on his throne and who rains Lord,

we are grateful for all the many things that you’ve granted to us inside of the word of God. And inside this book we refer to as the Bible, and we’re especially grateful for the book of revelation and the hope and the encouragement that it grants to us. And the reminder that no matter what comes, no matter the struggles in this country or any country that’s come before,

there is one who’s on the throne and there is one kingdom that is eternal and none other is, and that is Christians. We are citizens of the kingdom of God. We pray for all the nations throughout the world, and especially the nation in which we live, that they might make, right choices, that they might do, things that are in accordance with your will.

They might accomplish those things that Lao for Your gospel to be spread to a greater degree throughout the world. All this we pray in jesus’ name. Amen.<inaudible> Revelation, chapter 10. We began a pause, an interlude as the sixth trumpet had sounded. We talked about the fact that there’s the, the seven seals and inside of the seventh seal are seven trumpets.

And the first six trumpets will be, will sound in chapters eight and nine. But then as the sixth trumpet concludes, and that second woe, remember there’s, there’s two woes or there’s, there’s three woes in the last three trumpets, one woe in each trumpet. And as that second trumpet sounds, and it concludes, then there’s another pause, a pause to remind the Christians that they are going to make it through this,

that God is on their side. That Christ is on the throne and he is going to rule and he will avenge the persecution that is coming upon them. As we talked about the fact that at the time of the writing, the persecution, isn’t immediate, it’s about to come back up. The beast is about to come back up. And so God is telling them what is remember chapter one verse 19,

John was supposed to write what is and what has come before and what is about to come. Okay? So God is connecting what he’s told them in the old Testament to what is currently the state of things and what is about to happen in all these things he says must shortly come to pass. I believe I, I can honestly say I grew up with a,

with a mindset that revelation was about the end of time. And it’s just not the more you study it. The more you pay attention to it, the more you just insist on taking John at his own statements, that the things which come the, the things that are going, that are written in this book must shortly come to pass. These are things which shall come quickly.

He says, these are things which are near are at hand. You know, when Jesus and the apostles went around, preaching and teaching that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. They didn’t mean 3000 years from now. They didn’t mean 2000 years from now. They didn’t mean a hundred years from now. They were preaching it because it was at hand.

And John says, these things are at hand. They must shortly come to pass. Now that doesn’t mean that every word in every detail in every thing is that, but the message of the book is about things that must shortly come to pass. Now we mentioned in chapter 11 on Wednesday night, that there were a couple of things we’ve wanted to spend a little bit of time on this morning for clarification and clarity sake.

And one of those is the city that is mentioned in verse eight in this interlude, we first have the first kind of interlude is in chapter 10 where the mighty angel is standing. He’s got one foot on the sea and one foot on the land. He’s he has authority over both. That’s the idea there. And he has in his hand, a little book and John is told to take the little book and to eat the book.

And it’s sweet as honey when he tastes it in his mouth, but in his belly, it’s bitter. And the message is this the same message of Ezekiel chapter two in chapter three, where the same type of vision is seen, you’re going to prophesize and your prophecy originates with God. But your message is not a good message. Your message is a message of judgment.

It’s bitter. Okay. So then chapter 11 opens and we see two witnesses there. These two witnesses come from, at least the imagery comes from Zechariah chapter four, and the two witnesses are two olive trees and two lampstands. Now in chapter four of Zechariah, Zechariah makes it clear that each lampstand has seven lamps. Okay? So there’s seven lamps and two lamps,

seven lamps on each lampstand in two lampstands into olive trees. Zachariah also gives us the clarity and the vision in that the olive trees have as it were their, their branches hanging into the, the lamp bowls are the bowls of the lampstands. And they’re continually putting oil, the ideas eternal light, as long as the trees produce, as long as the tree stand,

the lampstands remain burning. And the picture there is the revelation of God and the anointed ones who were in Zechariah’s day<inaudible> and Joshua, the high priest and the ruling individual, okay. That imagery is brought over here to demonstrate to the people of God you, the church that’s the remember Jesus has already promised them chapter two, chapter three, chapter one,

you are a kingdom of priests. You are Kings who will rule. He’s already told and identified who the Kings and the priests are. That are the anointed ones in this day in time. And they’re Christians, the church. So he’s telling the church, you, as the anointed ones, you will be those who speak. You will be those who prophesied.

You will be those who torment those on the earth with the word of God. And you will be those who will be killed for your testimony. We’re going to see that over in chapter 12, but the message is you might appear to die. It might look like the church’s gone. It might look like the beast is one. It might look like by the way,

this is the first time we really read of the beast coming up and persecuting the church. Okay. He may look like you’re dead. You’re, you’re, you’re lying in the streets and they’re having a throwing a party and they’re sending gifts to one another and they’re letting your bodies lay there in the street. And it looks like the church is going to get decimated until God tells the church to rise or again,

to be resurrected after three and a half days. After a period of time, God says, no, no, no, no, no, you didn’t defeat my church. I’m still in charge because your persecution is only a partial, a half of a seven. It is incomplete. It is derived authority. It is not God’s authority. Okay? Then verse seven,

when they finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city. There are a number of references using that phrase, the great city in the book of revelation. And I firmly believe they have referenced to the same city every time.

And it’s not Jerusalem. Now this passage would make you think, Oh, we’re talking about Jerusalem. Here’s why the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt. And this is the phrase that causes most people to think, okay, we’re talking about Jerusalem where also our Lord was crucified. Okay. Oh, that sounds like Jerusalem. Right? The idea there is the one that the city that caused the Lord to be crucified.

Okay. When it comes down to it in the time of Christ, when the high priests and the elders and the chief priests and the Pharisees and the scribes all wanted to kill Christ, did they have the authority to know who did they have to convince to kill Christ? Did they take him to Herod? No. Who are alone in the land of Israel,

had the authority in Jesus’s day to put anyone to death. Pilot who’s derived authority came from Rome, turn to acts chapter two and acts chapter two. You find the right verse here. I wrote it down in acts chapter two, beginning in verse 22 men of Israel. Hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, Amana tested by God, to you by miracles,

wonders and signs, which God did through him in your midst. As you yourselves also know him, notice this being delivered by the determined purpose. And for knowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death whom God raised up having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it for David says,

I foresaw the Lord always before my face four. He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken. Therefore, my heart rejoiced and my tongue was made gland. Moreover, my flesh will also rest in hope for you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will you allow your Holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life.

You will make me full of joy in your presence. Now also go over to Psalm chapter two. This Psalm is a messianic Psalm about the crucifixion and about the resurrection in Psalm chapter two, it begins with these words, why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing. The Kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed saying,

let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall hold them in derision. He shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure. Yet I have set my King on my Holy Hill of Zion in revelation, the great city. We saw it over in chapter 17.

We’re going to see another place as the great city refers to a city sitting on seven Hills. Well, that’s not Jerusalem. That’s Rome. So the picture here is in the description of the crucified. Christ is a picture of Rome. You’re seeing Rome from three different aspects, okay? Pay attention to this because it will make more sense as we go later on and examine Rome again,

as it’s seen in the BESE, we’re looking at Rome, not in its physical sense, but in its spiritual sense, when you get the picture of Saddam, what was Saddam known for it’s sin? It’s sin specifically in the sexual matters that it had violated God’s word, but also in its way that it treated people, both of those things. It’s,

it’s lack of hospitality. It’s willingness to abuse people and it’s sexual immorality. All three of those are the things throughout scripture that are accused against Saddam and Rome is pictured as the seductress Rome is pictured as the one who’s guilty of the sexual and morality. Rome is pictured as the one who has committed all these great sins. So you see Rome in the spiritual aspect of her sin,

her worldly or seductive power, but then you have Egypt. The second name that is given to Rome, Saddam, the worldly, seductive power Egypt. What is Egypt known for throughout scripture? Many gods, but in relationship to Israel, say what? Power control captivity. Okay. So in Egypt you have the civil persecution power. Egypt had control as the slave owner of Israel,

as the captor of Israel, they had power to bring about persecution and they did. Okay. So you’ve got the civil persecuting power, which you’re also going to see in the beast. There’s three BS. All three of them described Rome. They look at Rome from three different perspectives, and it’s the same perspectives that Egypt, Saddam, and the one or the city where our Lord was crucified,

looked at it. What is Jerusalem? Now here’s where I want us to pay attention. The city where our Lord was crucified is Jerusalem, but the great city isn’t, but the great city isn’t Saddam and the great city isn’t Egypt, either Jerusalem is here referenced as a, as an spiritual example of Rome. And in the fact that Christ was crucified on the cross in Jerusalem,

what does Jerusalem stand for? Think about it for a moment. They saw his miracles, they heard his prophecies. They witness his testimony. They heard God speak from heaven and declare him to be his son. They heard John declare him to be God’s son and they killed him anyway. And they claimed to do it in the name of their religion because they took him to pilot and said,

when pilot asked, what is he guilty of? He has Blass themed. Our God Jerusalem here is not the great city. Jerusalem is a picture of perverted religion, which also describes Rome. So Jerusalem gives you perverted religion, which is also one of the beasts. You’re going to see one of the beasts rise up and his whole power is to pervert religion.

You’re going to see another beast rise up. And he’s the seducer it’s the, the, the, seductress the, the prostitute scene in chapter 17. She’s the one who rides the great beast and seduces all the world. And you’re gonna see another beast rise up. And he is the civil economic persecuting power. So you’ve got three BS that describe three aspects of Rome.

You’ve got three cities here that all described for three aspects of Rome. Okay? The great city is Rome. And so here in this passage, the great city is where one last thing I should mention if we take that, the great city is Rome. There’s one interesting fact about Jerusalem. The Romans never persecuted the Christians in Jerusalem. The Jews persecuted the Christians in Jerusalem,

all the living long day, but even in the book of acts, who is it that saves Paul from the hand of the Jews. The Romans remember Paul’s about to be killed by the Jews. And the Roman Centurion comes in and he extracts him out of their hands. And then he keeps him out of their hands. And then he takes him to Rome.

Rome was not a persecuting power against the Christians in Jerusalem. So the great cities, not Jerusalem. Alright, so I’m just wanting to make, kind of make all those points there. And then let’s, let’s move on. Verse 14, we come to the end of the second woe reread verse 14. The second wall was passed behold. The third woe is coming quickly.

Then the seventh angel sounded, all right, so we’ve, we’ve ended the sixth angel we’ve ended the interlude. Now we’re into the seventh angel seven angel sounded and there were loud voices in heaven saying the kingdom of this world has become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. And he shall reign forever and ever now where we’ve got to be careful not to get off track.

Is this when you read about those in heaven, declaring with a loud voice, that God is now reigning, do not immediately make the assumption that God hasn’t been raining all this time, Huh? Who is the King of all the earth going all the way back to Israel in Egypt. And even before that, Moses has sent to Pharaoh to tell him your gods,

aren’t the gods of heaven and earth. Who did God say to tell Pharaoh that he was the, I am, that I am. And Pharaoh asked Moses, who is this Jehovah that I should listen to him. And the whole period through the plagues was to declare I’m the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Is there any point at which God stopped being the King of all the earth?

Is there any point at which God’s power was overcome by Satan’s power and God stopped ruling and the kingdoms of men in Daniel’s day when it looked like Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians were going to wipe the face of the planet over or wipe over the face of the planet. And here they are, and Nebuchadnezzar is here and now all his grander in all his glory and all the things that he’s accomplished.

And God says, you’re going to learn that Jehovah rules and the kingdoms of men and gives power to whosoever. He will. So when you read that the kingdoms of heaven have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. And he shall reign forever and ever don’t immediately assume that means, well, the kingdom begins in the seventh trumpet because that’s what the pre-millennial is do.

Well, wait a minute. We’ve got to Wade through all these things and all this tribulation all this time, and then Christ will establish his kingdom. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. The latest date you can possibly give for Christ sitting on the throne as King. It’s the day of Pentecost.

That’s the latest possible date? The earliest date, I think you could say with any assurance would be the date of his resurrection because Jesus says in Matthew chapter 28, verse 18 through 20, I have been given what all authority in heaven and earth kind of sounds like he’s on the throne already. Doesn’t it? Okay. So the latest that you can give is Pentecost for Christ reigning over his kingdom.

This declaration, isn’t the beginning of his kingdom. This is the acting and the action whereby he uses his authority to bring about justice on the kingdoms of the earth. All right, watch this. And the 24 elders who sat before God and on their Thrones, fell on him on their faces and worshiped God saying, we give you thanks. Oh Lord God almighty the one who is and who was,

and who is to come because you have taken your great power and rained. The nations were angry and your wrath has come the time of the dead that they should be judged. And that you should reward your servants, the prophets and the saints, and those who fear your name small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth. This declaration is not,

Oh, well, the kingdom has finally arrived. This declaration is the one who’s on the throne has finally brought about the judgment that he said was coming. He has used the power. He has to bring about judgment because remember when those saints in revelation, chapter five, we’re praying and crying out to God. How long, Oh Lord, how long,

how long until you bring justice upon those who persecute us and Christ says, you rest a little while, but you rest in assurance. And I’m paraphrasing here. You rest in assurance that I will bring judgment. And the seven seals were open, kind of looking forward to what was coming and telling what had been going on. And then the seventh seal was open and you had the seven trumpets and they were the warning shots.

They were the plagues. They were the listen, you better repent or final judgment against Rome is going to come. And they didn’t repent. And because they didn’t repent in the end of the sixth trumpet, God now says, and all those in heaven, declare it’s time judgment’s coming. He’s going to take his power and he’s going to rain and he’s going to judge and he’s going to reward those who are his saints.

Okay? It’s not a picture of the judgment day, not a picture of the final judgment. It’s a picture of the judgment in the context. We’re talking about all through here. This is almost in a sense, the 10th plague where God says you didn’t listen, you didn’t listen. And now you’re going to pay the ultimate price because you didn’t listen.

Okay? So verse 19, then the temple of God was opened in heaven. And the arch of his covenant was seen in his temple. And there were lightnings noises, thunderings and earthquakes and great hail. Just the picture of the culmination of all the plagues coming together. Again, this destruction coming against the nation, but one more time. So the seventh trumpet sounded,

but one more time, God’s going to tell his people, you’re going to go through the ringer. You’re going to get hurt during this. It’s not going to be easy, but I want to tell you about the dragon. I want to tell you about the beast. I want to tell you about Satan. And I want to tell you he’s a three time loser.

Okay? Chapter 12 is the devil is a three time loser. Okay? That’s the whole point of chapter 12, chapter 12 beginning verse one. Now a great sign appeared in heaven. Seventh trumpet sounded, praise goes up that God is going to rain. That God is going to bring judgment. And now there’s a sign that appears in heaven. A woman clothed with the sun,

with the moon under her feet and on her head, a Garland of 12 stars. Now what did we say? The number 12 stood for<inaudible> Authorized religion and the people of God. Okay. So she’s a Dorn as the people of God. She is the church. Okay. We’ll see that. As we go through here, then being with child,

she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. Okay. So we see the woman. She’s got the she’s clothed with the sun. The moon’s under her feet on her head is a Garland of 12 stars and she’s pregnant and she’s about to give birth. And another sign appeared in heaven, behold, a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns and seven diadems on his head.

What are diadems crowns? Okay. He looks like he’s in charge. He’s got seven heads. He’s got 10 horns and all over his heads are crowns. He looks like he’s in charge. By the way, this is where we get the picture of, of the devil as, as red. Okay? Nowhere else in scripture stuff here that I know of at least,

but notice he’s not without power, not without real power. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. All right. Here’s a dragon that his tail is so great. And so sweeping it reaches up to heaven and knocks the stars down. Okay. In the, in the vision God’s showing you he’s got power,

but notice what we read by the way, could he take all the stores stars down? No, a third. What, what have we always said? A third is partial. He’s got limited power. Okay. He’d through his tail, drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman was ready to give birth,

to devour her child. As soon as it was born. You know, if I didn’t know how to interpret things in their context, I think there was a planned Parenthood. So here we are, she’s bound to give birth and the child or the dragon is sitting there waiting. As soon as she gives birth, he’s going to devour the child. He’s going to conquer the child.

Now in most Bibles, you will see the word child capitalized because it’s not going to be hard to figure out who the child is. Okay. And watch this prepared to devour the child. As soon as it was born, she bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. Now what child was ever born, whose inheritance was to rule all nations only one.

And it wasn’t Alexander the great, and it wasn’t anybody who was ruling in Rome. It was Christ. He said, well, wait a minute, Aaron, the church did not give birth to Christ. I beg to differ. Had there not been a need for the redemptive work of Christ. What do you have ever left heaven and taken on flesh all the way back in Genesis,

chapter three, our sin. It ma it’s clear in chapter three of Genesis, our sin and our need for redemption would cause the Christ to be born and woman would give birth to the Messiah. It’s a picture of the church in its redeemed state that could only be achieved through the birth of Christ and through not just his birth, but his reigning. Remember the context that we just had in chapter 11 was he’s reigning.

And now we’re seeing a picture of the devil, tried to stop him from ever raining, but what happens? So the devil’s there. He’s prepared, waiting for her to give birth. He’s going to devour the child as soon as it’s born. But wait, what happens? She bore a male child who was to rule all the nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up to God.

And to his throne, the moment she gives birth, the child straight to heaven, and the devil misses his chance. First time loser. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1,260 days. Now we’re not gonna spend a whole lot of time talking about time, times and half a time and 1,260 days and 42 months,

because we talked about all that on Wednesday. They all mean this. The church is going. It is a state of time in which the church will be ultimately victorious, but will endure difficulty in the process. It is taken from Elijah’s three and a half years of drought, three and a half years of no rain where God delivered those who were his.

He provided for those who were his, but it wasn’t easy. And it wasn’t pleasant. Okay. So the first time loser, he tries to devour the baby. When the baby’s born, he doesn’t succeed. The child goes up to heaven and he’s on his throne. Reigning verse seven in the war and war broke out in heaven. Now you get this first scene is here’s a woman.

She’s got the moon under her feet. She’s clothed with the sun. She’s got stars on her head. And the moment she gives birth, the baby goes, the child male child goes up to heaven. And then the next moment, where are you at verse seven? You’re immediately in what place? Heaven. The devil tried to chase him down. Okay.

That’s what you get you get. He failed on the first attempt. So he followed him into heaven to go finish the job. Okay. Verse seven in war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought. So the dragon goes to heaven to try and still devour the child to try and stills,

keep him from reigning on his throne. But instead of being able to confront the child, he’s confronted with messengers, God’s messengers, he’s confronted with angels. He never gets near the child. He never gets near the Christ. He can’t touch the Christ. He can’t even get past Michael, by the way. Very interesting that the name Michael, if I’ve got it written down here and can find it,

let’s see. Say that again. He, who is like the Lord, you’ve got this picture in Michael of he who is like unto God or he who is like unto the Lord. The devil doesn’t get near Christ, but the one who’s like God goes and stands and fights and notice what happens. So they did not prevail nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.

So the great dragon was cast out that serpent of old called the devil and Satan, Oh wait, here we go. So the dragon is pictured as who? Satan, the devil, the deceiver. And so the great dragon, the old sir, the serpent of old called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world. He was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him.

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now, salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ have come for the accuser of our brethren who accused them before our God day and night has been cast down. And some people say, well, this, this is what happened before the earth was ever formed. And before Satan was,

was on the earth and Tim did eat, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. This is what happens in the seventh trumpet. He’s the serpent of old, but this isn’t talking about his origin. This is talking about God saying, Satan, you stood here, accusing my people of wrong. You stood here accusing my people of guilt,

which is why you’ve been using your servants to kill them at now. You won’t stand before me, you know, all through the old Testament, we’ve read about times in book of job. And other times where Satan appears before the Lord, God says no more, no more. You’re outta here. Second time loser. Then those what happens. They overcame him by the blood.

Then I heard a loud voice saying verse 10 in heaven now, salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ have come for the accuser of our brethren who accused them before our God day and night has been cast down. And they who’s the, they, the accused ones, the ones who are being accused, okay. Notice.

And they overcame him. Who’s the him, Satan, the dragon, the devil, the accusers, or the accused overcome the accuser. And how did they do it? Three ways, three ways that Christians destroy the power of Satan notice right here. And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives unto death.

When a Christian clothed in the blood of the lamb covered in the blood of Christ, washed in the blood of the lamb, who declares the testimony of God. And won’t give it up, holds fast to the truth and won’t turn aside and then gives his life as a martyr because he will not turn aside. He will not bow his need of the beast.

He will not give in to Satan. He will not turn his back on Christ. He might be dead on this earth, but he wins. He overcomes the accuser, verse 12, therefore rejoice. So heavens and you who dwell in them woe to the inhabitants of the earth and to the sea for the devil has come down to you. Ah, this isn’t the end of time.

This isn’t the final judgment. Cause now the devil’s down on the earth, wrecking havoc on who Vietnam Evidence of the earth. Now we’ve said all along and having served the earth are Who centers. Why would the devil be wrecking havoc on sinners? Because that’s what sin does. He doesn’t care about them. He wants them to go to hell, just like he does.

He doesn’t care about them. And so wherever he is, he brings misery and anguish and pain and persecution. And it doesn’t matter who he does it to. He’ll always do it for the devil has come down to you having great wrath because he knows that he has a short time. I’m going to read through verse 13 and verse 17, and then we’ll close.

Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child, but the woman was given two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the presence of the serpent. So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth,

like a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. By the way, that’s a picture of the red sea and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army in the red sea and Exodus chapter 15 and Moses, his song is they’re kind of brought into this so that the devil tries to act like a God destroy the woman with the power of the,

of water, but instead what happens, but the earth helped the woman And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood, which the dragon spewed out of his mouth. He tries to act like God, he doesn’t have that power. God always is in control and God will protect his people. That’s the assurance we’re given all through this. And the dragon was enraged with a woman and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Okay. So the message through chapter 12 and we’ll catch up on the questions on Wednesday. The message of chapter 12 is to the church. Again, you’re going to go through persecution at, you might die, but the moment you do, you win the moment you die, you win and I’ll always provide for you because the child is on the throne.

The Christ is on the throne and Satan’s a three time loser. Okay. That’s chapter 12<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Good morning. Welcome to the Collierville Sunday morning services here at Collierville church Christ. It’s good to see each and every one of you. I see a few more of our regular members with us this morning. It’s great to see everyone of you.

And for those of you that are still able, unable to come out because of the COVID-19 and various things going on, please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers and we pray for each and every one of you every day and cannot wait for the day that you can return and worship our Lord with us here in his building on Sunday mornings and on Wednesday evenings announcements today,

if there are any visitors with us, we are glad that you took the opportunity to come and worship with us. We asked that you’d fill out a visitor’s card. If you did not pick up your Lord’s supper on the way in now, it’d be a good time to do that. Our sick, please keep Aaron in your thoughts and prayers. He is getting a little better.

He still has some pain here and there. They’re changing some medications, but he’s working through that slowly but surely and getting a little better each day, Joan Springer is still having her difficulties. So please keep Joan and your thoughts and prayers. Janet Jones is back at home now, and she’s going through a home therapy, physical therapy at home. So please keep Janet in your thoughts and prayers as she works through that,

because any of us have been through physical therapy, know what that’s like, that pain that they put you through to make you get better. Sometimes you make, you makes you wonder if it’s really worth it, but in the long run, it is Dorothy Wilson is still dealing with very high blood pressure issues. Please keep Dorothy and your thoughts and prayers. Sylvia’s a nerve block that she was going to have this past Friday has been rescheduled.

That’s now going to be on the 23rd of October. So continue to pray for Sylvia, Danny O’Neil that’s Tommy’s brother is still in st. Francis. He is slowly getting a little better and they are working on getting him off the ventilator. And Tommy said with all goes well, they should have him off the ventilator by the end of today, but it’s a slow process.

Getting him off that ventilators continued to pray for Danny and the entire O’Neill family. James Luna is having a lot of numbness in his hands and he will see a specialist on Thursday to see if they can determine what’s going on with him. So please pray for James Victoria Melton. Who’s a previous member here is hospitalized, and I am not going to be able to pronounce what this is that she has,

but it’s something to do with the fact that she’s pregnant and her baby is 32 weeks old and she may have to stay hospitalized until the baby is at least 37 weeks before they can go ahead and take an early delivery on that baby. So please keep Victoria Melton and your thoughts and prayers. Jenny Sanderson, sister-in-law Mary Joe Todaro has passed away. So please keep that entire family and your thoughts and prayers.

And we have a special request for Vincent to Darrow who’s Jenny’s brother. They were married for Vincent and Mary Jo were married for 49 years. And Vincent relied on her. Like you would not believe, you know, Mary Joel was his everything to her, to him. So please, please pray special prayers for Vincent. In this time of his loss,

he’s going to need all the help he can get to get through this other announcements. The 45th annual spiritual sword lectureship at get well, church of Christ is scheduled for October 18th through the 22nd. We have a flyer on the board out here, the Memphis school of preaching fifth, fifth annual world evangelism seminar is this Friday and Saturday, the 16th and 17th,

Gary Kali will be speaking and his sermon will be the second. The disciples second baptism that’s Friday at 9:00 PM on a nationwide gospel calling meeting and the flyer list in each one of the speakers and what the topic is, is on the table out there in the foyer. So please pick one of them up on your way out today for the man reminder that tomorrow night at 7:00 PM,

we’ll have our monthly business meeting. And if there’s anyone here that has anything that needs to be addressed, please put it on a sheet. I’ll draw on a bulletin board. So men can discuss that. And also reminder too, that early voting for the general election starts here. This coming Wednesday, the 16th and runs through Thursday, October 29th. So that’ll be here at church early voting our service.

This morning song leader will be Michael Dale opening prayer be Terry Sanderson. Lord’s supper will be Joel caisson. Sermon will be Erin coats are, and our closing prayer will be Tommy Lassiter. Thank you.<inaudible> Our opening song. This morning will be number 227 on Zions glorious summit On XY yarns glorious man. It’s de<inaudible> by blood. They him, their King and strains.

D I heard that song and Stroh too. I heard the song<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> shout victory.<inaudible> great.<inaudible> for the gray wow. Lasting<inaudible> rise and<inaudible> to<inaudible><inaudible> to<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> like me<inaudible> Oh my God. Oh, the<inaudible> God<inaudible> Oh, Oh, Oh, a song before our opening prayer will be number 800.

What a friend we have in Jesus. What a friend we have in GE is all our sins and griefs to back. Yeah.<inaudible> a very thing to God and pray. Yeah. Oh, a peace. We often fall this pain mean we<inaudible>. Oh, because we do<inaudible> eh, very thing to God and pray. Yeah. Ah, we try also<inaudible> is TRIBE<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> to the Lord and<inaudible><inaudible> we find a friends<inaudible> Oh,

Oh, so<inaudible> jeez.<inaudible> three. We<inaudible> to say goodbye to the Lord and pray. Yeah. We weak and heavy. Hey, calm bird with<inaudible><inaudible> refuge to get to the Lord. And<inaudible> do friends despise for<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> and his arms take. Yeah. And<inaudible> well find us all Right. A father who art in heaven.

We thank thee for this first day of the week and the opportunity to, we have to come together as your children to study your word. We pray that you would be with those that are sick and unable to be with us. We pray that you would comfort them and restore them for their health. If that’s the reason that they’re not here, we pray that they will soon be well enough to come back and be with us.

We pray that you would be with the teacher of the hour, that he may have a lesson prepared for us too, that we may understand. And it will help us to become strong with Christians. And that weak may spread the word in this community. We thank you for the opportunity that we have to be here and, and be with the, with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We pray that the things that we do here today will be accepted linear side, where you pray that you would be with the leaders of our country. At this time, we pray that the election will go in a way that will be placed into the on and that later we’ll look at you aware to help them and make decisions. And to make this a better country.

We pray that you would go with us now through the, for the exercises this day and forgive us when we do wrong in Christ’s name, we pray amen. Song to prepare our minds for the Lord. Supper will be number 364. Come share. We gather here in jesus’ name, his love is burning and a heart it’s like living flame for through the loving son.

No father makes us Swan. Come take up, bruh. Come drink. No cup. Come share the Lord. No one is a stranger. Hey,<inaudible> finding<inaudible>. He joins us. You. He breaks up bruh. The Lord who pours the cup is risen from a dad. No one. We love the<inaudible>.<inaudible> come take up bruh.

Come drink a cup. Come shit.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> angels. See, well, see the glory of our Lord Dan Kami King. Now we anticipate, Hey, no fees for which we wait, come take up bread, come drink a cup, come shit.<inaudible> This morning in order to help prepare our minds for the Lord. Supper will be reading from Isaiah chapter 53,

who has believed I report into him, whom is the arm of the Lord revealed where he shall grow up before him as a tender plant. And it root out of dry ground. He has no form to come then this. And when we shall see him, there’s no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected a man, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him. Not surely. He had born our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we did not esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted, but he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And with his stripes,

we are healed. We are like sheep that have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid on him, the iniquity of us all, but a spray. Dear God, our father in heaven. We come before you, as our minds, go back to the cross of Calvary and your son there. And the cruel death that he suffered,

bearing our sins there on the cross of Calvary. We’re mindful of that sacrifice that was made for each and every one of us for all of mankind father. As we look to this Memorial this morning, we pray that our hearts and minds will be centered upon him upon what his love for us and his willingness to give his life that we might have life eternal fathers.

We partake of this bread, which is representative of his body. We pray that we might examine ourselves and do so in a manner that would be worthy in Jesus name. Amen.<inaudible> We will now continue that reading. He was oppressed and he was afflicted. Yet. He opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to slaughter and his sheep before her shearers is dumb.

So he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment and who shall declare his generation. He was cut out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, was he stricken and he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich, he was in his death because he had done no violence. Neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He has put him to grief. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days and the precious pleasure of the Lord shall prosper. In his hand. He should see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justly justify many where he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore what I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spore with the strong, because he has poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered with the transgressors and he bear the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. That is probably Father in heaven. As we continue to remember our savior and the love that he demonstrated for us,

remind of that precious blood, that flowed on Calvary, that we might have our sins forgiven. We are so grateful father for being able to be your children. And for this time and moment that we can remember our Lord and savior. And we pray father that we examine ourselves and do our best to serve and glorify you with our lives. We pray that this fruit of the vine,

which is representative of that blood, that we might partake in a way that will be acceptable and memory of him and Jesus. We pray. Amen. We prepare our minds to think about how blessed we are as a people and how much material wealth that we really do have. And we think about the scriptures as they teach us that of those that have much,

much shall be required. And it should be a blessing for each and every one of us, as we’ve thought about what we would give today, that we should remember the blessings that’s already been given to us, and that we’re willing to share those blessings to not only further the cause of the kingdom, the spreading of the gospel, but also to be benevolent to those that are in need and try to help those that need help.

They’re less fortunate than we are. And I know myself a lot of times, I fail to keep that in mind. And we always think about mainly I guess the church, which we should and the spreading of the gospel, but there are so many souls out there that really do need our help. And sometimes we might overlook them. So let’s think about that.

As we think about our contribution, let’s bow father in heaven, we are grateful for every blessing that we receive each and every day of our lives. Many of which we take for granted, we pray father that you forgive us for doing that and help us to appreciate every blessing that comes from the, we pray father, that we’ve purposed in our hearts today.

And given it great thought on what we would give back at this time that we would continue to contemplate all the blessings that we have and what we could do. If we put our minds to it, we pray father that our offering will be acceptable. And that we might not only further the kingdom, the work of the kingdom preaching and teaching your word,

but that we might also reach out to those that are in need. And those that are struggling with various things in life, we might help them in some way that they know that we truly do care about them and would help them with things that they need. And we have might have that opportunity to share the gospel with them, that they too might want to be a child of yours and be a part of this body in jesus’ name.

We pray amen song before the lesson will be number 290 shine. Jesus shine. If you can please stand for this song. Lord, the light of your love is shining in a man. It’s the dark nurse shining. Jeez, a snide of China upon us said a spree by the truth. You now bring us shame on me, shame on me.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> me.

Try me consume all my darkness.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> with grace and mercy.<inaudible><inaudible> You may be seated if you’d like to Mark number nine, 15, trust and obey for the invitation song. You can, if not, it’ll be up on the projector. Good morning. A number of us in recent days and months have had more doctor’s visits than we planned on.

And when you go in the first time, it’s generally for an evaluation to figure out what’s wrong. But every so often we go to a doctor for just a checkup, just a, what we call a physical, maybe annually, maybe more often than that. Maybe for some of us who were stubborn much often than that, We just, we go to just find out the state of things.

What are we doing? How’s everything working? Is it working? Is it working the way it’s supposed to be working? Can they maybe working better? Just a checkup. And sometimes you and me in our lives need to do a spiritual checkup. We need to examine ourselves. We’re called upon by Paul and the Holy spirit through Paul to examine ourselves on a regular basis.

As a matter of fact, we’re told that on the first day of every week, when we come together, part of what we do in the Lord’s supper is examine ourselves. We are to examine ourselves to see whether or not we are in the faith, but Jesus, in John chapter 12 would call upon those who were present to do a little self examination.

So we’re going to notice in our lesson this morning, the ending of John chapter 12. So I encourage you to open your Bibles will take the majority of our text or we’ll take our texts from that passage. Spend the majority of our time in that scripture, John chapter 12, beginning in verse 42, when you only have one usable arm, you drop a lot of things and I’m trying not to drop anything.

So John chapter 12 beginning in verse 42, nevertheless, among the rulers, many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him less. They should be put out of the synagogue. Now John is giving us the reason behind it. This, this, this isn’t, you know, ruler after ruler comes up and says, you know what I believe on you and does,

and says it publicly. I believe on you, but you know these Pharisees over here, man, they are a pain. And if I say anything publicly about this, they’re going to kick me out and say, no, this isn’t a public proclamation. This is the Holy spirit who knows the hearts and minds of men revealing to us behind the curtain what’s going on.

There are these rulers in Israel and it’s coming up on the final week of a life of Christ. It’s coming up on the final week, in the final time where Christ will be on the earth. And there are rulers in Israel who won’t confess him because of the fairs because they know what will happen, but it’s not just the Pharisees. And the text that follows in verse 44 through the end of the chapter is not about the Pharisees.

It’s not about what people do because of the people around them, having an influence on them. It’s not about what people do because there are people holding them back from doing it. It’s about what’s inside the end of verse or the end of verse 42 says less. They should be put out of the synagogue, verse 43 for, they loved the praise of men.

More than the praise of God. The Holy spirit examines these individuals, any, it goes ahead and tells you they had external forces that were working against them. They had people who were leveraging them and keeping them from doing what was right, because they had influence over them. But internally their main problem, the primary issue, and the reason why anyone had leverage over them was because they loved the praise of men.

More than the praise of God. They wanted to be in the synagogue because they were rulers. They wanted to be where the people were because they had influence. They wanted to be recognized. Then they wanted to be promoted. And they wanted to be those who were called, whose names were called before others. And because they loved the praise of men,

more than the praise of one who wasn’t going to necessarily give them influence who wasn’t going to necessarily give them position or prominence, but who would say on that day of judgment when they stood before him? Well done, thou good and faithful servant because they love the praise of men. More than the praise of God. They would not confess Christ. And so what follows is Jesus declaration that we need to examine ourselves.

He begins first in verse 44. Then Jesus cried out and said, he who believes in me believes not in me, but in him who sent me the very first thing that Jesus cries out is about faith. The premise of this very situation is there are those who will not confess him. They know who he is, they know what he’s done. They know where he came from.

They know who he is and they will not confess his name because of the influence of those around them and because of their own selfish interests. And he says, look at your faith. He who believes in me believes not only in me, but in him who sent me, if you did nine, me, you deny him. When we examine ourselves spiritually,

we begin with our faith. What does our faith look like? What is our belief? And what is the state of our belief in second Corinthians chapter five in second Corinthians chapter five, Paul is writing to the church at Corinth, a congregation that so often struggled with the difficulties of the world around it and the influence of the world around it. But he says in verse five,

now he who has prepared for us this very thing who also has given us the spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord for, we notice this statement, walk by faith and not by sight.<inaudible> We walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident.

Yes. Well-pleased rather to the absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Paul says, we’ve examined ourselves. We’ve looked at ourselves and we know we’re not walking by sight. We’re not walking by the things that we know to be true in this life. In other words, we’re not walking by the influence of man. We’re not walking by the wisdom of man.

We’re not walking in a certain way because of those who try to influence us one way or another, we are walking. According to revelation, we are walking. According to God’s word, we walk by faith, not a leap in the dark, not guesswork, not a hope in a, in a circumstance where maybe sometime this might be true. No,

we’re walking by the declared word of God and not our own wisdom. Their wisdom said, if we confess Christ will be put out of the synagogue and God’s wisdom says, so what, what are you willing to give up to be obedient to me? So we begin with our faith, but also notice in Romans chapter 10 and Romans chapter 10 and beginning in verse eight,

as Paul writes to the church at Rome, he says, he says, but what does it say? The word is near you. Now notice the context. The passage is talking about the word of God and its action in their lives. He says, well, what does it say? The word is near you in your mouth and in your heart.

That is the word of faith, which we preach. That if you confess with your mouth, the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart, that God has raised him from the dead you will be saved for, with a heart. One believes on the righteousness and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. You know, that passage is important and it’s integral to our understanding of the position and the order of faith in view of baptism.

But so often we go to that passage and we’re only trying to get to the point that faith and confession come before baptism. And we ignore much of what that passage says about righteousness, salvation, and the word of God. It says that the word of God belongs in our heart in our mind. And that the word of God being in our mind ought to cause it to come out of our mouth.

They would not let the word of God come out of their mouth because there was a problem with their heart. There was a problem with their mind. So when we do a spiritual examination, a spiritual checkup, it begins first with our faith is our faith causing us to speak or our influences around us causing us to be silent. But then he goes on in John chapter 12 and he says,

he who believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me. And he who sees me, sees him, who sent me the second thing that we’re going to examine in our spiritual checkup is our eyesight. I will freely admit I’ve been blessed with good eyesight, but because of that, I’ve been negligent to go to the eye doctor.

I haven’t been to an eye doctor since I was seven years old, but I can still see. So, you know, but Jesus says your site is important. Your site is integral integral to your spiritual condition. And here’s why verse 46. I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness. He says,

can you see me? Can you see me? Do you have enough light in your life to see who I am? Because if you can see me, you can see him who sent me earlier on in this passage, back in John chapter 12, beginning in verse 31, be actually a little bit, get in verse 30, Jesus answered and said,

this voice did not come because of me. But for your sake now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cashed out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all peoples unto me under myself, this, he said, signifying, by what death, he should die. The people answered him.

We have heard that the law, excuse me, from the law that the Christ remains forever. And how can you say the son of man must be lifted up? Who is the son of man? Then Jesus said to them a little while longer, the light is with you while you walk or excuse me while you have the light less. Let me try one more time.

See if I can read the words on the page fairly. I do need to go to the eye doctor a little while longer. The light is with you walk while you have the light less darkness overtake you. He who walks in darkness does not know where he is going while you have the light, because believe in the light that you may become sons of light.

These things, Jesus spoke and departed and was hidden from them. Jesus is in their presence. Jesus declares that he would be lifted up. Jesus declares his crucifixion, Jesus declares. What would happen as a result of his crucifixion? And they say, Oh, we’ve read the old Testament. The Messiah who comes and sits on the throne reigns forever. How can you say the son of man will be lifted up?

They understood what he meant. They understood what he said. When he said the son of man would be lifted up. They knew he was talking about dying. And they said, we’ve read the old Testament. That can’t possibly be true if you’re the Messiah. But then Jesus said beginning in verse 37. But although he had done so many signs before them,

they did not believe in him that the word of Isaiah, the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke Lord, who has believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord been revealed. Therefore they could not believe because Isaiah said again, he has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts less. They should see with their eyes less. They should understand with their hearts and turn so that I should heal them.

These things I say is said, when he saw his glory and spoke of him, you see Isaiah said, Oh, you’ve got highs, but you won’t use them to see you’ll stay blinded. You’ve got ears, but you won’t hear, you have a heart that could understand, but you won’t let it because had fit did because if it did, I’d heal you,

but that would require you to open your eyes. That would require you to believe with your heart. Had they wouldn’t. So we examine our faith and we examine our eyes. Whether or not they let any light in. But then we also examine our hearing. Jesus said, if anyone hears my words and does not believe I do not judge him now that might be easy to stop right there and say,

see, alright, no judgment. It’s okay. Believe what you want to, nobody’s going to judge you. That’s not what Jesus said. He says, I do not judge him for, I did not come to the world to judge the world, but to save the world, Jesus said, I’m not here to judge you. I’m not here to be the judge who brings about your judgment,

who brings about your, the justice that you ought to get? Because you’re a sinner for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life. Jesus said, I’m not here to judge the world. I’m here to save the world. But he said, he who rejects me and does not receive my words has that.

Which judges him. The word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. Jesus said, I didn’t come to this earth. I didn’t give up heaven. I didn’t take on flesh. I didn’t come to this earth to judge you, but the word that I’ve spoken remains forever. The word that I’ve spoken, whether you’re willing to hear it and obey it or where you’re willing to hear it and dismiss it will judge you on the final day,

we examine our ears. Are they open to the word of God? Or do they hear the word of God and dismiss what they don’t want to hear and accept only what sounds good because that’s what these people were doing. If Jesus said something they agreed with, they were fine. But the moment he started declaring himself to be the son of God. The moment he started declaring himself to be the Messiah,

the Mullen, he started declaring himself to be someone who had authority over them. They refuse to hear our faith, our eyes, our ears, but he’s not done our speech. We go through this spiritual checkup, we’ve got to examine our speech. We’ve got to examine what we say in verse 49. Jesus sets a standard. He says for, I have spoken or I have not spoken on my own authority.

He says, I’m going to judge you in the final day, but it won’t be me. It’ll be the words that I’ve spoken. But just in case you begin to argue with the words that I’ve spoken, you need to understand something. I haven’t spoken of my own authority. I didn’t come to this earth with my own authority to declare my own message,

to declare my own judgment. That in the final day you will be judged my mind words. He said, I have not spoken of myself or of my own authority, but the father who gave me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. Jesus said, my doctrine doesn’t belong to me. My word isn’t mine. The word that will judge you,

didn’t originate with me. It originated with the father. And in doing this and making this statement, Jesus sets a standard. What should we speak? Should we speak our own doctrine? Should we speak our own ideas? Should we speak our own opinions? Should we speak our own judgments? Or should we declare the word of God? Should we speak?

Not of our own authority, but of his, we examine our speech and Deuteronomy chapter 18 in view of both the hearing and the speaking. Moses sets an interesting standard in Deuteronomy chapter 18, beginning in verse 18, as he is declaring about the prophet that would come. He says in verse 18, I will raise up for them. A prophet like you,

God’s speaking through. Moses says, I will raise up a prophet like you Moses in their presence. He says, I will raise up for them. A prophet like you from among their brethren. And I will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak to them. All that I command him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear my words,

which he speaks in my name, I will require it of him. God says, I’m going to judge. I’m going to raise up a prophet like you Moses. And they’re going to hear him. But some of them won’t accept what he says. And when they don’t, I’m going to judge because his words won’t be as old, but they will have come from me.

And so our speech as the church of Christ, as the body of Christ, as the bud bought bride of Christ, our speech, our doctrine, our proclamation Ought to always originate with him. We do not preach opinion. We do not preach that, which is coming from our own mouths or coming from some creed or coming from some Pope who claims to have the authority of Christ.

And doesn’t, it’s not coming from some head. It’s not coming from some regional doctrine comes from God. And if it doesn’t come from God, it has no business in this house. And I know, and I know that his commandment is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak just as the father has told me. So I speak fifth and final aspect of this checkup is how’s your life walk into the doctor’s office.

Maybe I should start that a little differently. The doctor walks into his office and there you are. And he begins to do the checkup. He checks your brain. Soso checks your eyes, not very responsive. Checks your hearing, not getting much checks your checks, your speech, not much. There then bothers to check whether or not you’re alive. Sometimes we judge ourselves by ourselves.

Paul uses that phrase to mean Christians sitting in a congregation, judging themselves against some other Christian in the congregation. Well, I’m better than so and so I’m doing, I do more than, and then Susie who sits down on the fourth row, I’ve been here for 41. Doesn’t matter. The question is, are you alive or dead? Jesus says that the commandments of God give life.

James says it a little differently. James says, show me your faith without your works. And I’ll show you my faith by my works. And that faith without works is dead. How’s your life? Does it look like someone who has faith in God who sees the Lord? And the one who sent him, who hears the word of God and responds to it?

Who accepts what he hears and obeys it, who not only hears, but speaks the word of God to those around him because he is faith. Isn’t dead, but alive. And those commandments that originate with the father that he obeys, that he acts out in his life are in his life producing everlasting life. Jesus came to give life. John chapter one,

John chapter one, as we begin this book that John gives this record of jesus’ life. He begins it with in the beginning was the word. And the word was with God. And the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. And without him was nothing made that was made in him was life.

And the life was the light of men. See, we’re already right back to where we started faith and light and hearing the word of God. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all through him might believe he was not that light,

but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him. He came to his own and his own did not receive him. But as many as received him, there’s your hearing.

But as many as received to him, received him to them. He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of men, but of God. Their life begins again. Their life begins with God and the word became flesh and dwelt among us.

And we beheld his glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth. John bore, witness of him and cried out saying this was he of whom. I said, he who comes after me is preferred before me for, he was before me and of his fullness. We have all received. And grace for grace for the law was given through Moses,

but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father, he has declared him. John says that Jesus said John chapter 14, when Phillip said, Lord, show us the father. He said, Philip, have you been with me so long? And you do have not seen me when you’ve seen me.

You’ve seen the father. I encourage all of us to spend a little time this week with John chapter 12, verses 42 through 50 or 48 and ask ourselves what is our spiritual condition? And when we get the results of the checkup, where are we lacking? And what do we need to work on? You’re here this morning and you’re outside the body of Christ.

You do enter into Christ by being born. Again, you do enter into Christ as, as BJ made. So clear last week, you do enter into Christ by being born of water and of the spirit. Having believed that Jesus Christ is the son of God, willing to repent of your sins, willing to confess his name, willing to bow to his authority as he bowed to the authority of God.

But are you willing to do that? If you’re outside the body of Christ, you can put Christ on in baptism today. If you have need of the invitation, if you have need of responding to the invitation for any reason, good or bad, why not come together now as we stand in, as we sing, Hey, while we do is good,

he abides with us and with all trust and<inaudible> to be happy and jeez us, but to trust and<inaudible>, but we never can.<inaudible> for the<inaudible> and<inaudible><inaudible> and<inaudible> to be happy and jeez us, but to trust. And<inaudible> walk by, Hey, this, and Hey, what he says we will do where he sends we.

Well, never fear only trust. Oh, Hey.<inaudible> to be happy and jeez, us, but to trust. And<inaudible> The closing song will be number 736 to Christ. Be true to It’s been long. Oh man, be true. He needs<inaudible> and<inaudible> to<inaudible> to Christ the truth to cries me. Oh man, be true. He needs<inaudible> to stand against the powers of sin.<inaudible> to<inaudible> the Lord be true.

Would you bow with me? Our God and father in heaven. We’re indeed thankful for this beautiful first day of the week that you’ve allowed us to gather as your children and worship Dee and same price to your name, father. We are thankful for the work that Aaron and Michael do here. And father we’re thankful for their most loving and giving families that they brought with them,

by the way, thank you for the word that we’ve heard today. And we pray father that we can use that to be that shining light to those around us. And those that may be lost. Bring them to you while we pray that you’ll be with us and keep us safe and forgive us of our seniors. They say in jesus’ name, we pray.