09-12-2020 Revelation 7 (Class) & (Sermon)

In Bible Classes Videos, Live Streams, Revelation, Sermons, Sermons by Aaron Cozort

JOHN – Revelation 7
The Servants of God are Marked

  1. John saw these things after the opening of which seal? Revelation 7:1; 6:12 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  2. What were four angels holding back, and what were they “granted” to do?  Revelation 7:1-2 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  3. What did the angel that came from the east have in his hand?  Revelation 7:2  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  4. For what were the four angels told to wait? Revelation 7:3 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  5. Where on His servants did the “seal” (or mark) of God go? Revelation 7:3         ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  6. How many tribes are marked?  
    Which of Joseph’s sons are included and which of Jacob’s are left out?
    How many from each tribe are marked? Revelation 7:4-8 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  7. Who else besides 144,000 are present before the throne and the Lamb? Revelation 7:9-10
    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  8. Who makes up this group of people from every nation and tribe that in Heaven?  What did they do to themselves?
    Revelation 7:13-14
    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9. What is answer to the question from Revelation 6:17? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Automated Transcript

<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> good morning. It’s good to see everybody this morning. We are in revelation chapter seven, and as we have been doing, we will continue to do,

we’re going to go over the questions from Wednesday as a review of chapter six, before we get into chapter seven, but you’ll notice on the handouts. There is a review sheet on the top that you can use to kind of just keep track Of everything we’ve gone through thus far, um, in the book we’re being six chapters in understanding that this has a constant flow to it.

You know, there’s, there’s a lot of new material in revelation that you want to keep track of. And, uh, that’s, that’s going to continue to be the case as we move forward. So, uh, hopefully that will be helpful for you. We won’t spend a lot of time looking at it. We will do a brief review of a couple of things as we get started with our class,

but let’s begin with a word of prayer and then we’ll get into the question, Gracious father in heaven, we bound before your throne grateful for the day that you’ve given to us grateful for the life and the opportunity that we have to be able to serve you, to be able to glorify your name, to praise you and to come to you in prayer when we need help,

when we need strength, but also to say thank you for all of the many wonderful things that you’ve done and continue to do. We pray that you be with those who are struggling with illness, pray that you be with those who are recovering from difficulties. We pray that you be with those who are home because of their health. And we pray that you will be with each one of those individuals in each one of those groups that may they have the comfort,

the strength and the health that they desire. Pray that you be with those who are undergoing upcoming procedures, or maybe have faced, uh, illnesses and difficulties that they were not, uh, anticipating. We know. So often things come at us in a time in our lives when we’re not ready for it, we pray that you be with those and help them to endure through those hard times.

We’re we’re mindful, especially right now for Ava’s family and the struggles that they are going with, and we pray that you will help them and give them strength and give Ava strength and encouragement. And this time, all this, we pray in Jesus name. Amen. Chapter six. Questions, question one in chapter six, verse one who opens the scroll sealed with seven seals.

The lamb does all right. Chapter six, verses one and two. What color horse is seen in the first seal? A white horse? What two things are given to the one on the horse.<inaudible> A bow and a crown. What does he do?<inaudible> He conquers and continues. Conquering. Okay. What color horse is seen in the second seal?

A red horse. What is he given the ability to take peace from the earth? Okay. So the idea here being war the opposite of peace. Okay. Uh, what is he given a great sword to make war then the third seal, what color horse is seen in the third seal, a black horse. And what does the rider have in his hand,

a pair of balances or scales, what is affected by this rider and what is not affected? Alright, the wheat and the barley are affected, but the oil and the wine are not okay. What, uh, what color is seen in the fourth seal, a pale horse. And we talked about that being the idea of a, of a yellowish,

just a sickly looking horse. Um, I skipped down to the next one who sits on this horse Def who’s falling behind this horse. Haiti’s okay. Um, what does, what quantity of the earth we’re given into their hands a quarter or fourth are given into their hands. And we talked about the idea of, of partial judgment, partial, uh,

things that happen in the book of revelation. We’re seeing that here. Question number six, who does John see in the fifth seal? Okay. He sees the souls of those who were slain for the word of God and for the testimony of Christ, where are they under the altar? Okay. So they’re in heaven, they’re under the alter. And what are they saying?

How long ago, Lord, until you bring judgment upon those who are persecuting us and what are they told to do rest a little while now, one of the things you’ll notice about these questions, these questions are not interpret the book because at the end of the day, here’s one of the things that I think we miss. If we spend all of our time talking about the interpretation,

we lose the book and the way I, I always want you all to do. I want you to know what’s in the text. I don’t want you to know what I say about it. I hopefully you learn something about what I, from what I say about it, but I want you to know the book because when you know the, when you can walk through those visions,

when you can picture in your mind, one horse and another horse and another horse and another horse, and then those souls under the altar. And you’re seeing the results of this persecution. When somebody comes with a, just a Yahoo theory with a Val, this is Russia. And, and the, uh, there’s a patchy helicopters in the book of revelation,

which how Lindsay said and wrote in the late great planet. When, when they come with all this, you go, wait a minute, Whoa, you’re taking this and this and this and this and this. And you’re saying they’re all happening at the same time. And then it’s all. And you don’t believe any of it. Why don’t we go back to the text?

And that’s what I always want us to do. Go back to the text because when you can get somebody in the text and you can get them to see what they’re, they’re suddenly going to go, well, where did all this other stuff I believe come from? Because it’s not there. Okay. In the fifth seal, John sees Christians, the church and they’re dying,

they’re being killed and they’re being killed because of the witness, the testimony that they have, that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. Okay. And they’re crying out to God. How long are you going to let this continue? How long until you avenge our deaths and the persecution that’s happening to the church. Because remember John’s whole premise is to the church.

Persecution is coming. That’s what the whole book is about. Persecution is coming, but I’ve got it. That’s the message of revelation. Okay. In the sixth seal, the language of revelation, six verses 12 through 14 was used in the old Testament to speak of what kind of event. Okay. So the, these type of, of, uh,

this type of imagery, moon cam coming like blood, uh, the, the stars being blacked out all of this in the old Testament we read, uh, Isaiah chapter 13, or I think we mentioned it, uh, turned over to Isaiah chapter 13 real quick verse one. Okay. Because revelation, doesn’t, doesn’t introduce this language out of nowhere.

We’re going to see chapter seven. Doesn’t introduce the language in chapter seven. Out of nowhere, it all comes from the old Testament. Every single person schooled in the old Testament, Christian in the first century knew exactly what was being stated. And there were no suggestions in their mind about some future nation called Russia or China or America involved anywhere in it.

Okay. Here’s what they already knew. Revel or revelation, chapter six. They knew Isaiah chapter 13, Isaiah chapter 13, verse one, the burden against Babylon, a burden in an old Testament, prophetic language meant what a prophecy. Okay. That’s that’s what a prophet would call his message that God said, you go tell them, this is why they called it a burden that they had the go speak.

This message. The prophecy, the burden against Babylon, which Isaiah, the son of Amos saw. So first, first, first thing understand this what’s this about, or who is this about? It was about Babylon. Babylon is what? A great power a nation on the earth if it was a city, but it was also, it was the capital of the nation of Babylon.

Okay. Now, keep in mind. This prophecy is being made before. Babylon is a great nation. They haven’t even come to power yet. Isaiah lives a nearly a hundred years before they come to power. They are not in power right now. They haven’t even come to power yet. And Isaiah is already going to prophesize their end. Okay? So here’s what happens.

He says, lift up the banner on the high mountain, raise your voice to them. Wave your hand that they may enter the Gates of the novels. I have commanded my sanctified ones. I have also called my mighty ones for my anger. Those who rejoice in my exaltation. Now skip down to verse 10. He’s going to continue talking. But for the sake of time,

verse 10, for the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The sun will be darkened and it’s going forth. The moon will not cause its light to shine. I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their inequity. I will hold the arrogance of the proud I will lay low. The haughtiness of the terrible.

I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold. A man, more than the golden wedge of over therefore I will shake the heavens and the earth will move out of her place. In the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger, it shall be as the hunted gazelle and as a sheep that no man takes up. Every man will turn to his own people and everyone will flee out,

flee to his own land. Everyone who has found will be thrust through and everyone who is captured will fall by the sword. Their children will be dashed to pieces before their eyes. Their houses will be plundered. Their wives will wives, ravish, behold. I will stir up the Meads against them. Oh wait a minute. Wait, wait, wait back here in verse 10.

He said that the stars of heaven, their constellations will not give any light hold. This must be the judgment day, right? Oh, this is God bringing judgment on Babylon before Babylon comes to power and he even identifies who he’s going to do it through. Now. Was there any great miracles that happened? Did the sun stopped shining the moon stopped giving its light.

Did the stars literally in a physical sense, recede, did the sky get rolled up when Babylon fell? No. All of this language in chapter six verses 12 through 14 is used and it’s not just here. It’s used throughout the old Testament prophets to speak of the fall of a nation and specifically God bringing about the fall of a nation. So when you read this kind of language,

don’t immediately go second coming of Christ, go wait a minute. What nation just fell. Okay. Now we haven’t really discussed a whole lot in revelation about what nation’s going to default. We’re going to get there, but John’s saying here’s somebody persecuting the church and the people in the church cry out how long the Lord until you bring judgment. And the next thing you see is the fall of a nation.

Okay? So the language in verses 12 through 14 was used in the old Testament to speak of the fall of a nation. What are the mighty and powerful on earth hiding from the wrath of God and of the one who sits on the throne and of the lamb. Okay. The wrath of God, the wrath of the lamb, either one of those lamp answers.

And then what is the fundamental question of the sixth seal? Very last statement in chapter six, who is able to stand when, in the day of the wrath of the lamb. Okay. So chapter six, verse 17 for the great day of his, the antecedent, there is the lamb for the great day of his wrath has come and who is able to stand.

That’s the question. And in chapter seven, we have, we just went through all of that. Hold on. I forgot that I had slides about chapter seven. We have an interlude because the seven seals not opened yet and it’s not going to be open yet. You have this moment where seal, seal, seal, seal, seal, they’re all being torn off.

They’re being open, they’re being opened. You’re seeing what’s happening. You’re seeing the prophecy of what’s to come. And then there’s this pause because there’s a question that’s asked. And before that seven seal is ripped off. The question has to be answered. Who can stand in the day of God’s wrath. That’s chapter seven. Now chapter seven is connected to chapter 14.

Um, let me back up one. Not ready for that yet. Uh, chapter seven is connected. Chapter 14. We’ll spend a little bit of time talking about chapter 14, but not very much in this class. Um, because I want you to see this in its progression. Okay? Chapter seven begins after these things, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,

holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea or on any tree. Alright. One thing we mentioned towards the beginning of our class is that almost everything in the book of revelation has an angel. The church, each of the churches has an angel here. The wind has an angel. There’s an angel for each,

for the wind, from the North, the wind from the South, that Mullin from the East, the wind from the West, by the way, there are some who will come to the book of revelation, skeptics and others who will come to revelation. As I say, see, you believe in this, this all bronze age book, you use this.

Why they think they thought the world had corners. They thought the world was flat and the world has corners. Go look at any globe in any school. And you’ll find out the world doesn’t have corners. Well, if you go look at almost any globe in any school, you’ll find out the earth does have corners. Now I looked round, right?

But wait a minute. What’s that? What’s that those are four corners. You see people try to make something out of nothing. When God speaks of the four corners of the earth. He’s not trying to tell you the way people in, in old time, Spain and others believed it, that the earth is flat. And there’s even still today who believe it.

He’s giving you a picture because even then they recognize go all the way back to the time of Moses and what held back the, the red sea strong wind. And they told you which direction it came from when you read four corners, don’t think in your mind. Well, that must mean they thought the world was square, but we all recognize four directions,

North, South, East, and West. And they did then. Okay. By only point in this little venture into a rabbit trail is don’t read something into the text. That’s not there because he’s even then going to tell you what the four corners are. Okay. So I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, North, South,

East, and West holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel O sending from the East and having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea notice those who are holding back,

the wind have been given power to do something before in chapter six, we’ve got the barley and the wheat being damaged. Okay? But something else isn’t harmed here. You’ve got the sea and the ocean and the earth being given power over. But other things are not hard. But he says in verse three, do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of God on their foreheads.

And some will go, Oh, look, look, they’re there. They’re being sealed. This is the Holy spirit. That was not just because Paul talks about us being as Christians being sealed with the seal of the Holy spirit over in first Corinthians does not mean that the moment you hear a seal over here in revelation, you’re talking about the Holy spirit.

Why? Because we already know what kind of seals we’re dealing with. We’re talking about a vision. We’re talking about a vision. That’s already talked about seals, which are pictures of ownership. Okay. When you had a seal back in the first century, you had a wax stamp, you had something that you put in him, uh, an embossed image on that indicated your authority and your ownership.

That’s why no one else could open the book that had seven seals on it. Okay. Is because they had to have the right person, the person who was worthy, the person who had the authority. Now here, the angel comes up and he tells those who are holding back the wind at, well, not yet. Not yet. We have to seal all those who belong to God and they’re going to do that.

But this is not new imagery. This is not the first time this has happened. If you go back to a Z keel as ZQ, I think it’s chapter nine is Z Gill sees a vision where God’s going to bring judgment and they seal, they Mark all those that belong to God. And none of them are judged. All those that belong to God are marked and exempted from judgment.

All those who don’t have the Mark of God are judged here. The angel comes up in the same imagery as the book of Ezekiel. And he says, wait, wait, wait. We’ve got to Mark those that belong to God before you bring this judgment on the earth and on the sea and on the trees. Okay. So I heard the number of those who were sealed by the way,

where’s their Mark foreheads. You hear all the time about the Mark of the beast and the six, six, six on people’s foreheads. Well guess what these people have on their foreheads. Do you think there’s going to be a literal time where we literally have six, six, six written our forehead or the name of God? No. Nor did any of the Christians of the first century think that this is imagery.

This is who does this person belong to? Okay. So they’re marked and they’re marked in their foreheads. There are many marks. As a matter of fact, in the book of revelation turned to chapter 13, revelation chapter 13, beginning in verse 16, this is talking about the beast. He causes all, both small and great rich and poor, free,

and slave to receive a Mark where they receive their Mark on their right hand or on their foreheads. Uh, this, this is a little chip being implanted in your hand, right? No chapter 13, verse one, chapter 13, verse one. Then I stood on the sand of the sea and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea,

having seven heads and 10 horns and on his horns, 10 crowns and on his head, a blasphemous name what’s he got on his head, a name, what? What’s that? It’s a Mark. Okay. Uh, chapter 17, verse five, verse four. The woman was arrayed in purple and Scarlet and darned with gold and precious stones and pearls having in her hand,

a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication and on her forehead, a name was written. What’s that a Mark. And what was her? What was written mystery? Babylon, the great the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth. Somebody must’ve been fine print and get that all written on her forehead. So are we expecting some lady to come forth and,

and rule over the nation and ride a dragon? This God, this whole paragraph written on her head? No. All right. Chapter 14, verse nine, then a third angel followed him saying with a loud voice. If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his Mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God,

which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy angels and in the presence of the lamb and the smoke of their term, torment, a Sans forever and ever. And they have no rest day or night who worship the beast in his image and who ever receives the Mark of his name.

This is not a physical object or a physical Mark. It is a spiritual one because who’s doing the marking. The angels are whether the angels for the bees or the angels of God, they’re declaring. This one belongs to me. And what was the determining factor as to whether or not this one belonged to the beast? They worshiped him. Whose side are you going to be on whoever you worship and serve.

Now, Romans chapter six makes it clear if you serve your lust and the flesh, you become a slave to what sin. But if instead you are born again and you live as a new creature, you serve righteousness, you become a slave to righteousness. You know, slaves had marks on them. Didn’t they, they had marks to indicate who they belonged to.

And so to God’s people, they have a Mark. This is, this one belongs to me. Don’t bring my judgment on him. Okay. Now the question is because we’re going to get in to this question of the 144,000 revelation chapter seven, verse three, do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

And I heard the number of those who were sealed 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed of the tribe of Judah. 12,000 were sealed to the tribe of Reuben. 12,000 were sealed to the tribe of GAD. 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of Asher. 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of NAFTA. Lai 12,000 were sealed to the tribe of Manasseh.

12,000 were sealed of the tribe of Simeon. 12,000 were sealed of the tribe of Levi. 12,000 were sealed to the tribe of visit. 12,000 were sealed of the tribes. Ambulant 12,000 were sealed to the tribe of Joseph 12,000 were sealed with the tribe of Benjamin 12,000 were sealed. Okay? So a pre millennialist comes along and says there are 144,000 that are going to go to heaven.

And there’s problem with that. Number one, this 144,000 RNN heaven. Where are they think about it? What was the judgment going to come on? They’re holding back the winds that are going to bring judgment on the earth and the sea and the trees. So where are the people who are sealed, who aren’t going to receive the judgment on earth and they’re on earth before this judgment comes.

Okay. Now, why are they all from tribes in Israel? I don’t have any great insight into that. Other than here’s this all throughout the new Testament, you have multiple times where the Jews stand as a representation of the people of God. You remember when Paul spoke about Israel and he said, they are not all of who are of Israel. He’s talking about the fact that there are those who are fleshly descendants of Abraham,

who aren’t spiritual descendants of Abraham, but there are spiritual descendants of Abraham who aren’t fleshly descendants of Abraham, Romans chapter four says that Abraham is the father of all them. That what believe. So maybe this is just God showing here’s mine people. Oh, wait. That’s exactly what we were told. Isn’t it is his way. Wait, don’t do anything until we Mark those that belong to God.

Now it’s interesting because they’re going to go into this tribulation. They’re going to go into this difficult time, this persecution that’s coming, and then they’re going to come out on the other side. We’re gonna see that. And the second part of the book or second part of the chapter, and when they come out of the tribulation, there’s not 144,000 of them.

Wait a minute. Did we lose some? No, it was a matter of fact, we gained a lot because there’s an innumerable quantity of them, which indicates the 144,000 is in the literal number. Watch this what’s 12 times 1,244. What’s 144 multiplied by a thousand, 144,000. Now what is 12 in the book of revelation revelation in the Cape. There’s 12 stones.

There’s 12 apostles. There’s 12 patriarchs. There’s 12 tribes there. W what is 12 indicate? The short answer is those who belong to God. 12 was a number all throughout the book of revelation that indicates the faithful that belong to God. When you take 12 and you multiply it times 12, you’ve got the faithful that belonged to God with an exclamation.

You’ve got it enhanced. You’ve got it expounded. But the number 1000 indicates a totality. God, doesn’t just have we use the Psalmus writer that the cattle on a thousand Hills belong to the Lord. Does that mean that on the thousand and first Hill, that cow doesn’t belong to the Lord? No. The imagery, the language means once you’ve hit a thousand,

the point is finished. They all belong to God. It’s a, that indicates completeness. So you’ve got 12,000 times or 12 times, 12 times a thousand, all of them, who are they marking? The angel said, don’t, don’t bring the judgment until we’ve marked whom all the ones that belong to him and who got missed, which servant of God got missed in the marketing process.

None of them, which servant of God, didn’t get marked. None of them, which servant of God, wasn’t able to stand in the day of the wrath of a lamb. None of them, you see the number 144,000 doesn’t have anything to do with a literal quantity. It has everything to do with an image, a picture that says every single faithful servant of God can stand in the day of the wrath of lamb.

There’s not a single one that can’t, it’s a complete number. And it points to the faithful who belong to God. And there’s non one of them that are going to be touched by the judgment of God. Now that doesn’t mean they’re not going to suffer pain because this same idea is used back in the old Testament where God says, I’m not going to bring my judgment upon those in Judah who are faithful to me yet,

they’re still going to go through their nation falling. Some of them are still going to die. Some of them are still going to be carted off to Babylon, but they’re not the ones being judged. They’re not the ones stay standing condemned. They’re going to suffer some in the process. But God’s saying to his people, I’ve got you. And I’ve got every single one of you and who can stand in the day of the wrath of the lamb.

When all the rich, all the mighty, all those who are powerful are falling down under the mountains and crying for the mountains to fall down on them and protect them. You can, the faithful of God can stand. All right? So after these things, I looked and behold a great multitude, which no one could number of all nations tribes, peoples and tongues standing before the throne.

And before the lamb clothed with white robes, with Palm branches in their hand, and crying with a loud voice, saying salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne. And to the lamb, John sees this persecution. This judgment is about to come on the earth. The four winds are about to be let loose on the earth. The seal is about to be ripped open,

but first before the seven seals were over and we need to know something who can withstand the judgment of God. And the answer is God’s people can because they belong to him. And they’ve been marked with his Mark, and they’re not going to get touched by the judgment. And then John sees not 144,000, not just 12 tribes, not just a thousand out of each tribe,

but in innumerable, multitude. And where are they? Where are they standing before the throne? You had the souls under the altar who were crying out. How long though? Lord in verse or in, in chapter six. And now there’s an enumerable multitude standing before the throne saying we’ve received salvation. And where did they come from? Just the 12 tribes.

They’re all Jews, right? Every nation, every tribe, every tongue. Now, before we go any further, I want to show you very clearly who the 144,000 art. And we’ll pick up with the rest of chapter seven on Wednesday night, revelation, chapter 14, verse one, there were two markings that I left out of our list of the markings in the book of revelation,

revelation, chapter 14, verse one. Then I looked and behold a lamb standing on Mount Zion and with him 144,000, having his father’s name written on their foreheads. Okay. Chapter seven, we’ve got 144,000 chapter 14. We’ve got 144,000. Okay. But the Mark they receive is what the name of his father written on their forehead. Now, what if I could say,

you know what and prove to you who these are. They’re the church turn to revelation chapter three. I mean, I know I’ve got it behind me on the screen, but revelation chapter three, and in verse 12 to the church, the church alive in the first century, the church that was about to go under persecution, the church, the ones who were Christians,

who, by the way, weren’t all in Jerusalem. They were in Asia minor. They weren’t all Jews. They were Jews and Gentiles alike to them. Christ says he who overcomes. I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. And he shall go out no more. I will write on him, the name of my God and the name of the city of my God,

the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my gone. And I will write on him, my new name. Now in chapter three, John already told us the church and the Christians who overcome are going to receive what written on them, the name of the father. And in chapter 14, there’s 144,000 who are standing with Christ with the lamb and on them is written what the name of the father.

So who are the overcomers that stand with God who are the 144,000? They’re the Christians who overcame. They’re the ones who went through the tribulation and over came they’re the ones identified throughout the entire book as the faithful of God, chapter seven, the hundred and 44,000 is not some strange number of only the limited quantity of people. They get to go to heaven by the Jehovah’s witnesses.

Believe it’s the overcomers from the church that went through the persecution. And you look at the other side of that tribulation. And here’s an innumerable number of faithful in the second half of the chapter who are saying it worked. We came through the other side. We endured, thank God was faithful. Okay. We’ll pick up there on Wednesday night. And by the way,

as we’re going through this study, if there are things that you, I mean, they don’t just never swallow everything. I say, hook line and sinker. And just assume because Aaron said it is right. If you’ve got questions or something, doesn’t make sense, let me know or write it down and I’ll try and cover it, uh, to the best of my ability.

But, uh, hopefully you’re getting a better picture of revelation as we go through this. Thank you for your attention.<inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible><inaudible> Good morning and welcome to the Collierville church of Christ. Sunday morning, worship service. It’s indeed. Good to see each of you here. And we’re so proud to have our visitors with us. If you are visiting with us and you have not previously filled out a visitor card,

we ask if you would to fill that out and either give it to one of the members here are, leave it laying on the Pew and someone will pick it up. Also, we do our communion a little differently, and this is a good time to do it. If you haven’t picked up your bread and wine at the back of the auditorium, as you walked in,

this is a good time to go back and get it in a while. I’m going through our rather lengthy announcements this morning and bring them up and put them in the little cup holders there in the Pew, in front of you. And at the appropriate time, Maureen will be leading us in our prayers for that. We need to remember our sick. Remember Dorothy and Rodale Wilson.

They are still suffering from their chronic problems that they’ve had for awhile. Joan Springer is still home. Uh, she’s doing about the same as I understand Pam Chaffin who had back surgery a week and a half ago or so is home. She’s doing well. And as I understand progressing nicely, Sylvia pass has had a nerve block in her back. And I think she’s here with us.

So she’s obviously still surviving Janell, Rosario, and suffering from a tie she’s suffering from a cancer in her lymph nodes or tie for a thyroid. There you go. But, um, definitely need to keep her in our prayer. And Gladys Lyles is recovering. She fell again. Is that correct? What just the one time. Okay, but she’s not doing well.

Dorothy Wilson that we mentioned earlier, she did have a heart cath and is back home with, uh, her chronic high blood pressure problem. Leah van cleave Becky’s niece is very brittle diabetic. She’s been put on a kidney transplant list and will begin dialysis seven days a week, eight hours a day. That’s got to be really pleasant. Francis Wallace is back home.

Um, this is, uh, the Halvorson’s son-in-law’s grandmother. She back home, she’s recovering from a stroke and will begin in home therapy soon. I think that’s all of our sick and we need to remember Ava Morgan, her sister law sister-in-law Kay Fisher passed away last Tuesday. And then yesterday, her brother passed away and his name is Roy Fisher. And I’m a little bit confused here.

I really don’t know, but I don’t believe Kay Fisher and Roy Fisher are husband and wife. I think this is another brother to Ava. She has several siblings. I think I’ve hacked my way through all of this. Don’t forget the September business meeting, uh, tomorrow evening at 7:00 PM. And if you have any agenda items, be sure and get them over to Joe or any one of us is for that matter.

And we’ll make sure it gets mentioned in the meeting. The Nesbitt church of Christ has a gospel meeting October 4th through the seventh. And there’s a flyer on a bulletin board and say, check, check that out. If you’re interested, the Potter’s children’s home pantry item for this month is egg noodles. And I saw people bringing those in and putting them on the little cart,

just to the left of the auditorium. As you walk in the September national nationwide gospel meeting, flyers are on the table, pick one of those up for the times and so on. Okay. That’s all of our, uh, Oliver announcements that I’m aware of our song leader today will be Aaron Cozort opening. Prayer will be Terry Sanderson. Mary Phillips will be presiding over the Lord’s table and the sermon will be delivered by Michael Dale and Tommy O’Neil.

We’ll have our closing prayer once again. Thank you all for enduring these announcements. And thank you all for being here Will be number 627. There’s a Royal banner. All of the songs should be on the slides this morning, 627. There’s a Royal back then for display to the sole judges of the King.<inaudible> fair. We lift it up to Dan<inaudible> for Christ for the King of Kings<inaudible><inaudible> for the truth being,

uh, this man. Hey, Marty ain’t<inaudible> or the King of Kings<inaudible><inaudible> no<inaudible> Oh, marching.<inaudible> a tenfold shall die and say<inaudible><inaudible> me.<inaudible> Cause next song will be number 639, 639. Rescue the perishing. After this song, we’ll have our opening prayer Rescue, the perishing cap or the<inaudible> and the gray weep or the airing Juan lift the fall and tell them about Jesus mighty to save rescue the parish.<inaudible> Jesus is merciful.

Jesus will say, though, they are hiding him still. He is waiting, waiting the pen child to Reesie plead with them, earnest the plead with them. Jen gently. He will forgive if they truly Bailey rescue the perishing<inaudible> Jesus is merciful. Jesus will say down in the human heart, crushed by her tem to feelings. I buried that grace can restore Taj by a loving hand.<inaudible> well,

vibrate wants more rescue the perishing<inaudible> will prov, uh, back to then arrow away. Hey Sean Lee, when Paul Wandra save rescue the perishing care for the die Jesus is<inaudible> Father in heaven. We thank you for this day. We thank thee for the many blessings that you give us each day. We thank thee for our health and enablers to be here with each other today,

to study that word and sang the songs of praise on to they, we pray for those that are less fortunate today. With their health able to be with us, we pray that they will soon be able to return with us to worship you with us. We thank Dee for Jesus. It came to this earth and died that we might have everlasting life with me in heaven.

We pray that you would be with the teachers that teach us each week. We both, probably the table always be sound and spread the gospel. In truth. We pray that you would, uh, be with the leaders of our country, that they would turn to the, for direction and leadership. We pray that you would, uh, be with,

uh, military people that are away from home. We pray that you would be with them, be with their families and comfort them. Is there a way we pray that you would be with his Nan for the exercise of the day and forgive us when we do wrong in cross plan, we pray amen Song before the Lord’s supper will be number 349, 349,

10,000 angels sing all four verses Hey, bow in the hands of Jesus in the garden where he<inaudible>, they spot a pawn. A uh, so I’m free from sin. They said Cruz, if I him, he sees to be<inaudible> Dan set him free. He could’ve called 10,000.<inaudible> muddy died a long, Whoa, are you a, me a pawn is pride.<inaudible> they placed a crown,

no fawns. They laughed and said be home<inaudible> they struck him.<inaudible> and art is Holy<inaudible> all, uh, Aloni soft. Yeah. Uh<inaudible> to destroy, uh, and set him free.<inaudible> 10,000<inaudible> but he died a long time. So for you and me, when then held him too<inaudible><inaudible> uh, he said, walk me home.

Nice. Um, he cried, I thirst for water, but they gave him none to drink than a sinful, uh, um, was, uh, and he could<inaudible> dude,<inaudible> Dan set him free. He could, uh<inaudible> so, or you and me to the howling Mobby yielded. He did, uh, for mercy<inaudible> the cross Shamie<inaudible>.

And when he cried in Spanish, he gave himself to a salvation Was, uh, he could have called 10,000 angels to destroy. And Dan set him free. He could’ve called<inaudible> for you a, B, C. At this time, we have an opportunity to remember Jesus and that sacrifice that he made on the cross for our sins that is pray heavenly father.

We’re thankful for this bread to represent Jesus body. That was nailed to the cross for the sins of mankind for him to follow you, please forgive, sir, I sins Is pray. Heavenly father. We’re thankful for this fruit of the vine that represents jesus’ blood. That was shed on the cross for the sins of mankind. And like men are having a fight with praying for giving the silver sands Separate from the Lord’s team.

We’ll have an opportunity to give as with prosper. Let us pray. Heavenly father. We’re thankful for the financial gains you have given us through the years and we pray heavenly father, you accept a portion of these back to you to help continue the work here at Cari with church of Christ. Amen. You would like to, you can go ahead and Mark the invitation song.

It will be on the overhead, but the song of invitation will be number 923. I’m sorry. 924. I can get that number, right. Just As I am, will be the invitation song. After you’ve marked that please let us span. And we’ll sing 868, six zero. After this song, we will have our lesson from brother Dale,

860. There is a habitation. There is<inaudible>, uh, who seek that grant? Uh, Oh, Oh,<inaudible><inaudible> the no,<inaudible> no,<inaudible> no yesterday. No more.<inaudible><inaudible> I long night<inaudible> in the Please be seated. I guess he didn’t want to do the scripture reading this morning. I want to start you off with a poem entitled from a father to a son on persecution.

It reads when I was a child, no higher than your knee. My daddy sat me on his lap and told these things to me, son, you must live for Christ. No matter come what may teach the word to the lost. Every single day, people will make fun of you, taunt you and reject. Always remember what Christ endured for you,

son. I beg you never forget. Tell them that Christ loves them. Tell them you love them too. And when they spit on and beat, you have courage to tell the truth. Their souls are lost without him. And this is why Jesus needs you to tell the truth about him. No matter what they do in the end, your sufferings will gain you a glorious crown.

And if you win them to him to meet you in the sky, your sufferings will all be worth it. I tell you son, there is no greater reason why. So always live for Christ every single day. Teach the word to all the lost, no matter come, what may this morning, I want to speak to you about our comfort in suffering.

Turn with me. If you will. The second Corinthians chapter one verses three through five second Corinthians chapter one verses three through five, blessed to be God, even the father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comfort with us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble by the comfort,

where with we ourselves are comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us. So our constellation also a bounded by Christ as Christians. If we suffer like Christ for the spread of the gospel, we have a comfort. Now I remember when I was a young man in school, uh, was very zealous for the Lord and the spread of his word.

I would take my Bible to school every day. This was before you weren’t allowed to take your Bible to school anymore. So I’m kind of giving away a little bit of my age here and my zealousness. I never took the time to stop and think about how my need, my, my internal need to spread. God’s word would affect me and how I would be treated because I needed to spread his word.

It started with a name calling I’m. Sure. Many of you have heard the term Bible Thumper. Yes, I was a Bible Thumper apparently. Um, sometimes I was stupid. Sometimes I was an idiot. And even on occasion, I was called crazy. The treatment that I had to endure only grew more and more abusive to the point of being cornered in a locker room and being pounded on by a few guys because I would not stop bringing my Bible to school and trying to teach people of God.

I tell you this, to tell you this, okay. Every day I would go home and find comfort and comfort in my father in prayer. And in the reading of his word, I’m sure many of you have stories of how you were mistreated because of your faith in God and how people talk down to you, because all you wanted to do was share eternal life with them.

We endured those trials so that we could one day use them to comfort those that are currently injuring the same sort of trials here in the reading that we had in second Corinthians chapter one, we see the apostle Paul explaining to the church at Corinth that God is the God of comfort. It is important to know where we are to go as Christians. When we need comfort.

It is important as Christians to know that we can go to one another for comfort. We must always remember that through the though, the trials we go through are tough Christ endured more than we could even imagine through the suffering of Christ. We can find comfort in the trials we are going through today. We must ask ourselves as Christians, will we take solace in the comfort that we have through Christ?

Are we, we live and complacent fear of what might happen. Will we live as a, as a Christian safe on our Pew? Or will we go out and teach the last, no matter what we may have to endure as Christians. If we suffer like Christ for the spread of the gospel, we have a comfort. Let us consider that God is our comfort in times of trial and we can comfort others.

And their times of trial and Christ grants us all abundant comfort through his Trials as children. The Lord, we must always remember, no matter what it is that we in our enduring God is our comfort in times of trial. But what is comfort? I don’t know what it means to you, but this is what comfort is. According to dictionary standards.

According the world standards we read in dictionary.com that comfort is to sooth console or reassure or bring cheer to in the Greek. Comfort is the word Paraklesis, which according to Vine’s dictionary is a calling to one side. This is to encourage or to console. God is the God of encouragement and consolation. Second Corinthians chapter one in verse three. Again, we read blessed,

be God, even the father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and the God of all comfort, but how does God comfort us? God grants us comfort through the knowledge that he is always there with us. My one of my favorite passages growing up, and I’m sure many of yours as well as the 23rd Psalm, let’s go ahead and read the 23rd Psalm beginning in verse one.

The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want, he maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me into the paths of righteousness for his namesake. Yay, though, I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil for thou art with me,

thy rod and thy staff. They comfort me. They’ll prepare us to table before me in the presence of my enemies, thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. That is so comforting to me and everything that I do.

And as it should be for you, he’s going to be with us no matter what God is always there with us. Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 13, verses five through six, the book of Hebrews chapter 13, verses five through six, five, and six. Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as he have for,

he has said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. And I will not fear what man shall do on to me. How blessed are we as sons of God to know that our helper is the almighty creator of this world, of everything that we know he’s there for us, no matter what we have to endure.

And we have comfort through the word that gives us hope. Romans chapter 15 and verse four, Romans chapter 15 and verse four for whatsoever. Things were written a four time were written for our learning that we through patients and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Are you having a bad day? Read God’s word. It fixes everything. Yes, this,

this is a tablet, but I’m reading God’s word. Okay. God comforts those that live for Christ. This is how we gain that comfort. If we live for Christ, we will endure persecutions. If we live for Christ. Second Timothy chapter three in verse 12, second, Timothy chapter three and verse 12. Paul writes to Timothy and Paul is sitting in prison right now for nothing more than preaching God’s word.

And he’s waiting to be judged and killed at this time. And he writes to Timothy yay. And all that will live godly in Christ. Jesus. So shall suffer persecution. Don’t be diluted in thinking that being a Christian will make it an easy life for you. You’re going to go out. You’re going to teach others of God’s word and people are going to persecute you for it.

But we have a comfort in knowing that the Lord will deliver us second, Timothy chapter three. And if you go up just a couple of verses, we’ll begin in verse 10, but thou has fully known my doctrine. Manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, charity patients, persecutions afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch. And I conium at LIS DRA what persecutions I endured,

but out of them, all the Lord delivered me. The Lord will deliver us from all of our prosecutions and no matter the trial that we have in Jord, knowing that the father comforts us through them, all gives us the strength, gives us strength and lets us know that we can comfort others in their times of trial as well. And the trials we endure for Christ gives us that ability.

It gives us the ability to go and help someone who’s been through the same thing as us, or even talk them through something different because of the trials that we have gone through through the comfort we, through the comfort we get from the father, we can comfort others. Second Corinthians chapter one and verse four second Corinthians chapter one and verse four, Who comfort with us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them,

which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewithal. We ourselves are comforted of God through the comfort that we’ve gained from God through the tribulations that we’ve been through. We can help people that are going through the same tribulation. We are told to comfort one another. This is something that we are told in the scripture to do first Thessalonians chapter five and verse 11,

First Thessalonians chapter five and verse 11, wherefore comfort yourselves together and Edify one another, even as also you do, this is something that all Christians should be doing is comforting one another. And we are told to encourage one another on a basis every day, Hebrews chapter 13, three, and verse 13, Hebrews chapter three and verse 13, but exhort one another daily while it is called today.

Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin every day is today. And every day we need to comfort one another. We can know that our suffering will comfort. Those that are suffering. Turn with me to second Corinthians chapter one, verses six and seven, our sufferings, not in vain. It’s going to help those that are suffering first Corinthians chapter one,

verses six and seven. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings, which we also suffer, or whether we be comforted. It is for your constellation and salvation and our hope of you as steadfast, knowing that as ER, partakers of the sufferings. So shall ye be also of the constellation,

our sufferings. Aren’t all we’ll get. We will get that constellation, but how can we comfort one another? We can comfort one another by reminding one another of the great day. And I hope we all know what that great day is. First Thessalonians, chapter four, verses 16 through 18. Read this one with me. First Thessalonians chapter four, verses 16 through 18.

Again, gaining comfort from the scripture for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an Archangel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we, which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord wherefore comfort one another.

With these words, I want to comfort you. One day, we will be in heaven with the Lord and with our sisters and brothers in Christ. How else can we comfort one another? We can pray for one another second. Timothy chapter one in verse three, Paul writes to Timothy second Timothy chapter one and verse three. I think God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience,

that without ceasing, I have remembrance of the, in my prayers night and day, how comforting it is to know that someone is praying for you every single day, my family and I, we think God every day for the congregation here, because we know that we’re in your prayers every single day, helping us to get through school, helping us with the trials that we’re going through with the sickness of our son.

It’s a blessing and a comfort to know that that is coming from my brothers and sisters here. We can also gain comfort through love, give comfort through love first or fire Lehman, verse three through seven, almost a chapter. There is no chapters in filing and Philemon verses three through seven grace to you and peace from God, our father and the Lord,

Jesus Christ. I think my God making mention of the always in my prayers, there’s that prayer again, hearing of thy love and faith, which thou has toward the Lord Jesus and toward all scenes, that the communication of my faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing, which is in you in Christ Jesus for we have great joy and constellation in my love because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by the brother.

Just knowing them. Their love can give us constellation and comfort. Just knowing that you love me, gives me constellation and comfort. No matter what I must go through, we can comfort with a good word. Proverbs chapter 12 and verse 25, Proverbs chapter 12 and verse 25 heaviness in the heart of man make of it stoop, but a good word.

Make ethic glad I know. You know, it’s true. Sometimes all it takes is that one sweet word from a brother or sister or husband or wife or child to lift your spirits completely in a bad day, but we can also comfort one another and complete silence job. Chapter two verses 11 through 13 job, two 11 through 13. Now when job’s three friends heard all of this evil that was come upon him.

They came every one of him from his own place, LFS the 10 night and bill dad, the shoe white and so far, the name of fight for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. And when they lifted up their eyes a far off and knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept and they rent.

Everyone has mantle and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word unto him for, they saw that his grief was very great. It is important sometimes just to sit and be with someone. You don’t need to say anything, just being there can be a comfort.

The father comforts us in our times of trial and in turn we can comfort others. And there are times of trial, but Christ grants us all abundant comfort through his trials. Christ suffered greatly for every single one of us, Christian and non-Christian he suffered for all of us G but to understand completely his, his suffering. We must first understand that Jesus Christ is God.

Turn with me to John chapter one verses one through three John chapter one verses one through three in the beginning was the word. And the word was with God. And the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and without him, not anything made, not any, without him was not anything made that was made without Christ.

Nothing was made and verse 14 States and the word was made 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. Jesus sacrificed a lot for us, uh, more than we could ever even imagine. Turn with me to Philippians chapter two, verses five through eight Philippians chapter two,

verses five through eight. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ. Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. God came down here and turned himself into one of us,

a servant and being found in fashion as a man. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death. Even the death on a cross and all mighty eternal being came down here and died for us. Jesus died for us first, Peter chapter three and verse 18 first Peter chapter three and verse 18 for Christ also hath one suffered for sins. The, just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh,

but quickened by the spirit, if we are followers of Christ, we will suffer like him. Jesus tells us this himself, John chapter 15 verses 18 through 20. Let us read what John, what Jesus tells us himself. John chapter 15 verses 18 through 20. Jesus says, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.

If you were of the world, the world would love his own, but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world Hadith, you remember the word that I said unto you? The servant is no greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours. Also. Paul tells us that we will suffer for Christ again. Excuse me again. In second Timothy chapter three in verse 12, second, Timothy chapter three and verse 12. Again, we read yay and all that will live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution. If we suffer like Christ for Christ, we will be pur. We will be comforted.

We will be comforted abundantly. Second Corinthians chapter one in verse five second Corinthians chapter one and verse five. Whereas the sufferings of Christ abound in us. So our constellation also abounded by Christ suffering will produce a hope in us. I know it’s hard to imagine, but our suffering produces hope. Romans chapter five, verses three and four, read with me,

Romans chapter five, verses three and four. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations. Also they glory in their tribulations, knowing that tribulation, worketh, patience, and patience, experience and experience hope and hope. Maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy ghost, which is given unto us through our suffering.

We will enter the kingdom, read with me, acts chapter 14 and verse 22, acts 14 and verse 22, confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith. And that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. It takes a lot of tribulation for us to enter into the kingdom of God, but we have hope and we can do it as Christians.

If we suffer like Christ for the spread of the gospel, we have a comfort, no matter what comes our way, we need to remember that we suffer for Christ and his kingdom. We can know that God will comfort us. In our times of trial. We can take solace in the fact that we’ll be able to comfort others. And there are times of trial through our trials.

We can know that Christ will grant us all abundant comfort in our trials, through the fact that he himself and your trials, and the next time you’re with a friend or doing something you enjoy are doing something you enjoy or with a coworker in a break room, or just sitting around the kitchen table with a family member who, you know, has not obeyed the gospel,

let them know of the comfort you gained through Christ. It is a command of us to teach them. So they, the word, as we all must Romans 10, 17, we can not just say it in passing. We must teach them. So they do not just hear it, but listen, and believe it, John eight 24, we have to teach them that to have a comfort in God in Christ.

They must repent, which is turning away from the life that they are currently living yes, in sin and turning towards a new life in Christ, Luke 13, one through three, but belief and repentance are never enough. You can’t just believe in Jesus and be saved. They need to know and believe that Jesus is the son of God and confess it.

They need to know it and confess it. Matthew 10 32 to begin their walk in the comfort of Christ. They must follow the command to be baptized for the remission of sin. As we all must acts 2216 and in to ensure that they have this comfort day in and day out. And until eternity, they, as we all must walk in the light to receive a glorious crown first John one,

six and seven and revelation two 10, teach us that. And if you have to, if you have yet to obey these blessed commands of Christ, the waters of baptism already for you, you can have comfort in your walk of life, or if you need prayers of encouragement because of a persecution, you are enduring and need comfort. Please come forward as we stand in scene<inaudible> um,<inaudible>,<inaudible> uh,<inaudible> like,

uh, uh, uh,<inaudible> uh, stop. Uh<inaudible> uh<inaudible> uh,<inaudible> uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, yeah,<inaudible><inaudible> uh,<inaudible> uh, Oh God, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh,<inaudible> uh, uh,<inaudible>, uh, uh, uh, uh,

uh, uh, just, uh, uh, uh, uh, no Hasbro, uh,<inaudible> uh, nah.<inaudible> Oh God. Um, ah, like, um, I want to thank Michael for that lesson on comfort, and we appreciate that lesson and we’re very grateful for it and, uh, hope everyone gained much from it and will continue not only,

uh, to utilize it throughout this week, but also to take the exhortations about teaching others and proclaiming the gospel throughout their lives. Take, uh, take your songbooks and turn the number 869. It will be on the, on the slides overhead. Uh, we’re going to sing the first verse only of this song, and then we’ll be led in our closing prayer.

After the closing prayer, we do have an announcement to be made. So just stay where you are after the closing prayer first verse of we’re marching desire, can we that<inaudible> and, and, uh, around the throne. And, uh, so around the throw<inaudible> You bow with me, our heavenly father. We thank you for this day and each and every blessing we receive from you.

We thank you for the freedom and for each opportunity that we have to gather as your children to study from my word and sing songs of praise to that. Great. And Holy night, our heavenly father, we ask that you strengthen each of us in our daily lives, help us to teach those nonbelievers around us. We pray that our lives might be an example to those and that through this example,

these lost souls might be drawn onto the, our heavenly father. We pray for each of our sick mentioned here today. We pray for our elderly. We pray that you strengthen all of these and that they might enjoy their health. Once more, if that be the whole wheel or heavenly father, we ask that you go with us as we prepare to leave here,

protect, keep us safe. We thank you, dear God for Christ, our Lord and savior, and his willingness to die for our sins. These things we ask in his name. Amen. One moment. Hey, Brendan, will you stop the stream, please?