4:36 Well, this is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. I wanna welcome you to this Lord's day service at Maranatha Bible Church. It always is a joy to enter through these doors into this sanctuary knowing that we are gathered as brothers and sisters in Christ to worship him alone. And as we begin our worship today, I would ask you to stand for the reading of God's word.
5:08 I will be reading from Psalm 90, and may this truly be a call to worship today. May the Lord use his words to sharpen your affection for him today to to put your eyes on him today. And Psalm 90 regarded as probably the oldest Psalm in the book of Psalms written by Moses, the only one attributed to him. And may the words of the Lord may the words of this man of God focus our hearts on the one true God today. Generations.
5:47 Before the mountains were brought forth or ever you had formed the earth and the world, are God. You return man to dust and say, return, oh children of man, for a thousand years in your sight, our but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood. They are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning. In the morning, it flourishes and is renewed.
6:18 In the evening, it fades and withers. Are brought to an end by your anger. By your wrath, we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. We bring our years to an end like a sigh.
6:41 The years of our life are seventy or even by reason of strength eighty, yet their span is but toil and trouble. They are soon gone and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, oh Lord, how long?
7:05 Have pity on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us and for as many years we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants and your glorious power to their children. Let's pray.
7:41 Father, we do thank you. Lord, we thank you and rejoice that we are your children. Lord, that in your justice, you have sent Christ to die for us, so that you might be just and the justifier, Lord. Father, we thank you that we gather in this place today as the bride of Christ, as the body of Christ, that we get to give all our worship to you. Help us now, Lord.
8:08 Remove all distraction from us. Remove all lesser things from our hearts. And Lord, may our desires and our affections be satisfied only in you this morning. In the morning with your steadfast love that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. To you be the glory, now and forever.
8:36 Your people for your indestructible, invincible, and everlasting joy in you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Church, will you please remain standing and lift your voice to the Lord today.
16:46 Yes. Why don't we applaud? Amen. We've come to sing to a living Christ. Jesus Christ of Nazareth who walked on this earth two thousand years ago is seated at the right hand of God as we stand in this very room.
17:02 I hope that reality becomes more real to you as the service continues. Let's thank him for his reality, shall we? Lord, we do look to you now. Help us feel what we are singing. Help us actually enjoy the truths that we are rehearsing together as your church.
17:22 So we pray, Lord, that every obstacle to our joy in the truth would be apprehended by you even now. And that, Lord, we would indeed come into contact with you in a fresh way. Give us that gift, Lord. We need more of you and less of everything else. And we, by faith, come and reach out to you and ask that you would fill our mouths as we open it by faith so that our hunger for righteousness, our thirst for holiness, our longing for your presence may be fulfilled this morning.
17:56 We believe that you will meet us, Lord, because you are a good God. In Jesus' name, we ask and pray these things. Amen and amen. Well, before you see it, why don't you turn to somebody and welcome them to this Lord's Day service. Now if I can ask you for a favor before you're seated, if you're sitting on the out skirts of the pews or the chairs, if you're sitting on the edge and there's some space in the middle there in your aisle, would you please kindly scoot on in?
18:38 That just makes it easier for those who are trailing behind to come in because if we're sitting on the edges and there's a bunch of seats, it makes things a little bit more difficult for them to get in your personal space and then try to find a way in. Thank you. Thank you for your cooperation. That means so much. Well, welcome to Maranatha Bible Church.
18:57 If this is your very first time, a special welcome to you. If you call this place home, welcome home. It's at this time. It's our custom where we worship in our giving, and so the ushers will help us as we do that. And if your heart is cheerful, if your heart is aware that everything that we own is because of God's provision, then it's a greater privilege to return to him what he has granted to us by faith and out of the place of genuine trust.
19:24 Thank you for your partnership in this way. Thank you for your contributions. God has truly blessed us with this new home, and we wanna be good stewards of it, and your giving makes that possible. So God bless you. Thank you.
19:35 And as that is taking place, allow me to make a few announcements, a few short ones, but important ones. Number one, today is our picnic. And so if you want to join us for an extended meal and time of fellowship, that will be happening right after the service. We will be making our way down to the basement and there is an amphitheater and we'll be directed from there where we can go. But, there will be activities for children and for those who are children at heart.
20:02 There will be, of course, food and there will be a time of just enjoying one another's presence. So please join us. I know sometimes if you're new, that's a little nerve wracking, but, I can assure you that you'll be met with smiley faces and warm hearts and, at least leave here with a filled belly. We wanna bless you with that. Besides that, we have our conference coming up very quickly.
20:23 It's just around the corner, our Maranatha Family Conference. It's technically a young adults conference, at least it once was, but then all the young adults got married and started having children. So now I think it's a family conference more than anything. And, all families are welcome. And so we have an exciting conference prepared for us.
20:41 We have people from all over really the world who will be joining us, and that is taking place on August 27 to the thirtieth, which means there will be no services that week. That is really the only weekend where we don't have services here. And as the church grows, we believe that that will change because we know that not everybody can make it for the conference which takes place in Michigan. But in this case like every other year, I believe almost all of us who come to Marinera Bible Church will be there. So the services will be live streamed but there will be no in person services in this facility.
21:13 So that means there'll be no prayer, meeting on that Wednesday, no bible study that Friday, and no Sunday service on that Lord's day. We will be away and you can join us if you're not gonna be there. Registration is technically closed in terms of having a place to stay on-site. There are a few, beds available for the woman dorms. So if you want to, share a space with others as a young lady or, just be a part of it, in that way, you can, if you don't want, to do that or if you're not a woman, that's not available to you anyway.
21:47 You can find you can find areas around the actual conference center, and many people are doing that as well. They're finding Airbnbs, they're finding hotels, and, they'll be joining us for the actual meeting. So you can still come to the meetings if you'd like, and we're looking forward to seeing you all there. Well, we have much to be thankful for this morning, and one of the reasons is we have yet another baby dedication. And so if Eket and Myrna can join us with baby Josiah Shaliba, let's welcome them.
22:19 King Josiah is in the house. You're a big boy. Let's see if I can hold you. Let's see if all my practice these last few weeks are paying off. Oh, yeah.
22:31 You're definitely bigger than Chloe, but that's okay. Look at you. You're so handsome. Yeah. Look at that.
22:39 Oh, do you want them? Do you want them? Here. Take them and see. Let's try again.
22:47 If not, we can pray with you in mommy and daddy's arms. Alright. Ekad and Myrna, I'm gonna ask you a few questions, and you can respond with amen. And then more importantly, we're gonna we're gonna pray for this precious baby. Okay?
23:02 And Myrna, do you believe that Josiah is a gift from Jesus Christ himself to you as an extension of his grace and mercy in your marriage and in your family? And do you do you promise to exemplify to Josiah what it means to follow Jesus Christ through your own relationship, through your own personal walk with the Lord, through your own example of what it means to serve Christ in his church? And do you promise not just by your example, but by your direct discipleship in Josiah's life to pray with him, to show him God's truth through his word, to give him counsel and admonition through God's word in different areas of his life, and never be ashamed or never hold back God's truth in his life. Amen. Amen.
23:51 And so they're making this pledge in the presence of God and God's people, and this is why we do this because we believe in the power of prayer and we look arms of Jesus Christ and he gladly prayed and blessed them. So let's extend our hearts and our if our hands are available also to this precious baby and ask God for his hand upon his life. Lord, we thank you for Josiah. We thank you father for the gift that he is to this family, but Lord we also look to you and ask that he would be a gift to the church of Jesus Christ. We pray Lord that you would, at the youngest age possible, open up Josiah's eyes to the glories of Christ.
24:35 We pray Lord that he would serve you all the days of his life. We pray Lord that he would live up to his name, to be a reformer, to be one who would who would be willing to stand in the gap. If all forsake you, he would stand for you. We ask, Lord, for your great protection over his life as you did Josiah of old. We pray that you would shield him from all temptation, all perversion, all disease, all demonic activity, all threats, all dangers.
25:03 We pray that he would abide in the shadow of the Almighty. We ask, oh Lord, that you would give Ekkad and Myrna greater strength and stamina in the season of life. We pray, Lord, that they would trust that even with their busy schedules and all that they need to do to raise this child, the little moments that they give to you, you will reward and multiply greatly. Help them, Lord, keep their eyes on you. Help them, Lord, in every situation of Josiah's life to bring it to you and to receive your wisdom and help so that they can raise this godly offspring.
25:38 Lord, we look to you in great gratitude for this baby, how you have added yet another gift to this church. And we trust, Lord, he indeed will be a blessing beyond this place for your name's sake. In Jesus' name we pray, amen and amen. God bless you. God bless you.
25:55 Let's give it up for Josiah. From time to time, I peek into the news and I am reminded just how chaotic our world is, and so chaotic it is that sometimes parents are even hesitant to have more children or have children at all. Why bring a child into the mess that we have gotten ourselves into as a nation? And recently, I've been meditating on that powerful Psalm, Psalm 46. And I just wanna share it with you to hopefully comfort your heart of the sovereignty of God in all things, in your family's life, in your own world, in this nation, in every corner of this earth.
26:45 The psalmist says, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the most high. God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved.
27:23 God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage. The kingdoms totter. He utters his speech. The earth melts.
27:37 The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah. Lord, you are with us. And even though we sense the ground beneath our feet shaking, and we look over and see kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, even if it seems as though everything else is in place but our own worlds are collapsing, We believe that you are with us and that you are not just a help in trouble.
28:15 You are a very present help in all our trouble. Help us today to flee to you and to hide in your promises, and to trust that as you are a canopy over us, you are in control. And for these things, we stand in faith and rejoice in you. In Christ's name we pray, amen. Let's stand church, and let's believe indeed that he is with us.
29:48 God sent his son. They called him Jesus. He came Tell me your old, old story till my savior comes from glory. I'll tell the Lord is done to set this sinner free. That all will receive it.
37:06 My fate is still Yes, Lord God. We rejoice this morning. We rejoice at the gathering of your saints. We rejoice in your word, and we rejoice in your victory, God. You have won the victory through the death and resurrection of your son, God.
38:57 We can stand righteous before you because of his sacrifice, Lord. And we're filled with joy because of it, God. We thank you. We praise you. We give you all honor and glory, Lord.
39:08 We thank you, Lord, that we are free from the penalty of sin. By your spirit, we can be free from the power of sin. One day, we will be free from the presence of sin, Lord. God, we pray this morning that you would do a special work in our hearts, Lord. Revive the downtrodden saint this morning.
39:24 Lift your people up. May we be full of an unspeakable joy, Lord. You have come to give us joy, joy to the full, Lord. We love you. We praise you.
39:34 We ask that you would be with us in a special way in Jesus' name.
40:01 This morning, we are looking at one of the most important prophecies in all of the Bible. And we will turn there in a moment, but I believe there's a different scripture for us to consider to help set the stage for us to understand this fascinating vision that John the Apostle has penned in the book of Revelation. But before we go there again, turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews in chapter nine. There is a fascinating scripture here that relates to the prophecy that we are going to examine shortly. Hebrews nine, We're going to look at verse 27.
40:47 Hebrews nine verse 27 reads, and just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. There are three crucial truths that these verses teach us. Number one, we learn here that the reality and the event of the second coming of Jesus Christ is a core tenant of our faith. In other words, if you claim to be a Christian, the second coming of Jesus Christ is not a secondary doctrine. It is primary.
41:41 You cannot be a Christian and not believe that Jesus Christ will physically and bodily return to this earth to rule and reign forever. And one of the reasons why it is an inseparable truth to the pillars of our belief system is because in the very verses that we just read, the reappearance of Christ is tied to our salvation. It completes our salvation. The language is so obvious, He will come a second time not to deal with sin but to save those. Well, didn't he come to save when he first came?
42:22 Yes. He started our salvation but he will bring it to completion when he comes back. So if there is no return of Christ, our redemption is incomplete. Number two, the return of Christ is something that every single believer should yearn for with great expectation. Did you see how the objects of Christ's salvation are described in this passage?
42:55 Look at the last part of verse 28 again. But to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. A true follower of Jesus Christ who is filled with the Holy Spirit will live in a constant state of readiness and patient watchfulness for the return of Jesus. And the way that the author of Hebrews illustrates that principle is so wonderful in this text. Because what is he doing here?
43:30 Well, if you consider the wider passage, he's comparing Jesus as high priest with the Aaronic priesthood. He's comparing the sacrifice of Jesus with the sacrifices that were performed under the Levitical law, and he's trying to show and he's trying to prove here that Christ is greater, Christ is better. Everything then points to him and is fulfilled in him. And the illusion that he presents at this point is something that we can easily miss. If you're there in Hebrews nine, look up to verse 24 for a moment.
44:05 This is in the same context, but notice what he says here. For Christ has entered not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. So in the Old Testament, there was a tabernacle. We all know this, I'm sure. And there are many feasts and sacrifices performed within that holy vicinity.
44:36 One of the most important events in the religious calendar of the Jews then was the day of atonement. It was the one day when the high priest would make a sacrifice and enter into the most holy place, where the ark of the covenant laid, where the presence of God, the throne of God on earth was shielded by a thick veil, but one time, one day out of the year, the high priest would enter in and make atonement on behalf of the nation. So you can imagine the anticipation, you can imagine even the anxiety of that day as the high priest carefully obeys God's law, performs all that he was asked to do, standing in the gap for the people, and then finally makes his way into that most holy place. Oh, can you imagine the nation surrounding the tabernacle, holding their breath because it was so possible for the high priest to go in and make one wrong move and drop dead. What would that mean for their atonement?
45:43 They're in trouble. And so can you imagine the rejoicing? Can you imagine the corporate sigh of relief when the high priest would come out of the most holy place. Can you imagine the jubilation? Can you imagine the embracing of one another?
46:05 Oh, the atonement has been accepted for another year. So we read this in verse 24 and then he goes on to speak about the second coming of Christ. What's the correlation? Think about it. If the Jews in the old covenant eagerly waited for their high priest to come out of the earthly tabernacle, how much more should believers today wait expectantly for the true high priest to come out of his heavenly sanctuary?
46:39 Should we not also be looking? Should we not also be wondering when will he come? Should we not be ready to welcome him? To not be thinking and waiting for the second coming of Christ is as ridiculous as a Jew not caring or wondering or inquiring of the high priest coming out of the most holy place on the day of atonement. So every true Christian according to what the Holy Spirit writes here lives in a constant state of readiness and watchfulness for the return of Christ.
47:21 Thirdly, the second appearance of Jesus Christ is as guaranteed as everyone's death. That's one of the truths that we can draw from this flow of thought here. What does he say earlier? It is appointed for man to die how many times? Once.
47:43 And then comes judgment. And you can say here that just as it is appointed for man to die once and that being an unalterable fact, so is the second coming of Christ. Your death and mine is fixed by God's decree and so is the appointment of Jesus Christ's return to earth. Nothing will change that. Nothing will influence that.
48:13 It is set. It will indeed happen. Now with all that said, the brilliance of the book of Hebrews is much more profound than we first imagined. I wanna prove that to you just briefly because if we're not careful, we can be spending the rest of our time here in Hebrews and not get to Revelation. You know, you can look at the very verses that we just saw from a different perspective without violating everything that we just heard now.
48:38 Have you ever noticed that in these closing verses of Hebrews chapter nine, the word appear appears three times? The word appear shows up three times. And when you look at each of the occurrences of that word being mentioned, they describe the past, the present, and the future appearances of Christ. Can I prove that to you? Look here at Hebrews nine twenty four again.
49:13 For Christ has entered not into holy places made with hands which are copies of the true things but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. This speaks of the present ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ as the focus of his function is intercessor as our great high priest. So he appeared in heaven before God on our behalf to intercede. Christ is constantly appealing and praying and standing in the gap on our behalf through his blood. Look at Hebrews nine twenty five now.
49:59 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. So in Hebrews nine twenty four, we learned that Jesus appeared in heaven and he is currently there in the heavenly sanctuary. This is his present ministry. And what we just read, this refers to his past ministry.
50:34 That he at one time appeared on the earth to become our atoning sacrifice, And the focus of his mission was the cross. Now look here at verse 28 of Hebrews nine. So Christ having been offered once to bear the sins of many will appear a second time. Not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. So we go from the present in the mind of the author here, Christ in the heavenly sanctuary.
51:08 He appeared there and he is there now. He reflects on the past where Christ appeared on the earth and his mission was the cross. And now in verse 28, this points to Christ's future ministry when he will return in glory to rule and reign and the occupation, the focus of his role and his mission will be the crown. And so even in this, God opens our understanding to the completion of God's redemptive plan. He appeared once.
51:48 He appeared in heaven. He's gonna appear again. In the past, atoning sacrifice. In the present, a faithful intercessor. In the future, a royal king.
52:04 And this morning, we'll be focusing on the last appearance through the lens of the apostle John in Revelation 19. Now let's go to Revelation 19. And I want us to consider a handful of verses that gives us great detail about what that appearance will look like. Revelation 19 beginning in verse 11. Then I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse.
52:40 The one sitting on it is called faithful and true. And in righteousness, he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire and on his head are many diadems and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is the word of God. And the armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
53:06 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh, he has a name written, king of kings and lord of lords. Lord, we ask that you open our eyes to this amazing vision and that it would cause us to cry Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus.
53:36 May this not be merely truths that we are studying, but an announcement of an event that will surely come. And we ask that it would come in our lifetime. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. What you and I just read is the climax of the book of Revelation.
53:56 All the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments, the judgments of the bowls of God's wrath have led up to this moment. In fact, this is what the book of Revelation has been anticipating since chapter one verse seven. Do you remember what John wrote there in the introductory statements before we even got into the details of this incredible series of prophecies? He writes there in Revelation one seven, behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierce them, and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of him, even so amen. Verse seven of chapter one is the summary.
54:36 The verses that we just read in chapter 19 are unfolding that event in incredible detail. And in this passage, we learn at least five reasons for why Jesus is coming back. We have five purposes for the reappearance of Christ. If someone were to ask you, you believe that Jesus is coming back? Yes.
55:07 Why? How would you answer it? Well today we'll learn at least five reasons why and the first one is this Jesus Christ will return to the earth to make war That's the last part of verse 11, isn't it? And makes war. That's not easy for some people to accept.
55:38 That's not easy for some people to associate with the savior who laid down his life for humanity, who came into this world to heal and deliver and redeem even his enemies, who did not shed the blood of those who oppose him but shed his own blood. This is the Christ that we are familiar with. This is the Christ that we proclaim and then we come here and realize that he's coming again to make war? How can that be? You know, when some people hear the word war or see news of rising escalations and conflicts, it usually creates a reaction of sorrow, anxiety, or even trauma for some who have come from war torn countries.
56:29 And so when they hear this or when they read this, they don't know what to do with it. But there is some comfort even in this because what what grabbed my attention is how John, out of all the things that he brings to our minds when Christ enters into our world through this vision is not necessarily Christ at first, but what he's riding. A white horse. That's the first thing that he says in verse 11. Then I saw heaven open and behold a white horse.
57:03 Now, I'm sorry to disappoint some of you. This detail is not in our Bibles to provide evidence to convince us that there's gonna be animals in heaven. I know it's a proof text used all the time. That's a message for another time. Okay?
57:18 More than anything else, this is a familiar symbol of conquest and triumph, a horse, but don't ignore the color of the horse. This is not just aesthetics. This is not just a preference. This is theological. There's a message even in the horse being white.
57:42 Think about the different objects that Jesus sits on throughout the book of Revelation and you'll notice a common denominator. Let me show you what I mean. Let's go back to Revelation 14 and look at verse 14. Notice this. Revelation 14 verse 14 reads then I looked and behold a cloud no no no a what a white cloud and seated on the cloud one like a son of man with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
58:17 It's not a gray cloud. It's not a pink cloud. It's a white cloud. Let's fast forward now and go to Revelation 20 and look at verse 11 with me. Then I saw a great, not just a great throne, a great white throne, and him who was seated on it.
58:43 From his presence, earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. In Revelation 19, what do we see? Christ sitting on a white horse. What does what does this mean? What's being communicated here?
59:00 Well, in each of these scenes, whether it's the cloud, the horse, or the throne, Christ is sitting on something that's connected to him ready to execute judgment. Every passage we just looked at associates the Lord ready to unleash his wrath. And the fact that the color white is there in each instance is to signify that his justice is indeed flawless. This speaks about the purity. This speaks about the honesty, the sincerity of his wrath.
59:44 There is no bias in his decisions. There is no malice in his motives. There is no unfairness in his sentence. When Jesus Christ will come back to judge all men, he will be blameless in doing so. No one will be able to point a finger and accuse him of anything.
1:00:10 So when you and I think about Christ making war, ready to come and face his enemies, don't imagine a dictator who's trying to take land selfishly or invade to acquire resources like oil or a maniac who simply wants to flex his military power. When Christ comes to make war, his cause will be totally righteous. He is going to come back and put an end to evil once and for all. He is going to return and specifically target those who refused the conquering love of Christ to dominate their hearts when he came to shed his blood on the cross two thousand years ago. So why is Jesus coming back to make war And it is a faithful, true, blameless endeavor.
1:01:14 It's a manifestation of his holiness. But the second reason why Christ is coming is to manifest and exercise his sovereignty. It is to manifest and exercise his sovereignty. Look at verse 12 now. His eyes are like a flame of fire and on his head are many diadems and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
1:01:39 So John now after seeing the white horse and briefly looking at the one who's seated on that white horse zooms in and draws and picks out specific features that are prevalent. There's something about the eyes of Jesus. There's something about his head and there's something about a name that seems to be mysterious. And each of those facets of his person in this moment says something about his sovereignty how it's going to manifest when he comes back and how it's going to be exercised so let's look at his eyes the first time when he came he shed a lot of tears no tears here They're burning. They are on fire.
1:02:25 Now what could this possibly mean well helps to remember that this description of Jesus has been mentioned before in the book of Revelation haven't we seen it we have and it's worth turning back to see the two other places where those eyes are depicted as flames understand why they're showing up here so again let's go to revelation one and notice how Christ introduces himself in this book to John and to us. And we'll be able to understand more clearly why these eyes are so important to understand the second coming. Revelation one, look at verse 12. John writes, then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning, I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the lampstands, one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
1:03:19 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. I've mentioned this before, but there are only a few times in my lifetime where I've seen somebody's eyes burn like fire. And it's usually when somebody was enraged about something. But Jesus's eyes being described in this way is not meant to denote his emotions at this moment.
1:03:48 No. Why his eyes are depicted in this manner is to communicate his piercing glaze. Then the same way heat devours and exposes whatever it comes into contact with, Christ with his eyes are piercing in his awareness. Christ's knowledge, specifically what takes place in his church, is complete. Nothing can be concealed from him.
1:04:24 And I emphasize his knowledge of what takes place in the church because in this passage, where is Christ standing? In the midst of the seven golden lampstands. Later, we read that those lampstands represent the church. So his eyes of fire are surveying his church. You know, if more people believe that, we would have less scandals in churches.
1:04:51 But people don't believe that, including some preachers. But if you believe that what takes place in the service, what takes place in the treasury office, what takes place in that counseling booth, wherever you are in this church, in a building, outside of the building, if you are the church no matter where you are there are eyes of fire hovering over you people wouldn't be doing some of this stuff that scandalizing the name of Jesus And this is further confirmed in chapter two verse 18. Look at how Christ introduces himself specifically to the church in Thyatira. In Revelation two eighteen, and to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, the words of the Son of God who has eyes like a flame of fire and his feet are like burnished bronze. Why is he saying that to this church?
1:05:44 Because they lost sight of that. The way they were operating, the things that they were tolerating, Christ comes in through this letter and says, did you forget that I see everything? Let me remind you. So the message is clear. Nothing that takes place in the church is hidden from his sight.
1:06:04 He has perfect knowledge of absolutely everything and everyone. But here's my question. When those eyes of fire appear in Revelation 19, is he staring at the church? No. He's manifesting himself to the world.
1:06:27 But those eyes are the same, which means what? That Christ's perfect knowledge is not limited to his church. It is for all people. Every activity, every motive, every interaction, it applies equally to every nation, every institution, every business, every organization, and every household. When he comes back, there will be a sudden awareness that Jesus Christ knows everything about me, and we're gonna have a conversation about it.
1:07:09 When Christ chooses to reveal himself in this way with his eyes, it's meant to convey when I come back, I will reveal every secret. It's all going to come to light. Nothing has escaped my knowledge and every man will be held accountable. That's sovereign. That's power.
1:07:31 That's glory. But it doesn't end there. From his eyes now, John points our attention to the head of the returning Christ. And the main thing that stands out is that he is crowned with many crowns. Diadems is the word that John uses here or at least this translation.
1:07:51 It's a royal jeweled ornamental band or crown. Now is this the first time that we've seen an entity or an individual or a person in the book of Revelation crowned with more than one crown? Answer, no. Back in Revelation 12 verse three, we read of the dragon who represents Satan. And John saw something on the dragon's head as well.
1:08:21 And another sign appeared in heaven, behold a great red dragon with seven heads and 10 horns, and on his head, seven diadems. That's interesting. And then you go over to the next chapter in Revelation thirteen one, and you read of the beast who represents the Antichrist, Satan incarnate, if you will. Notice how John describes him. And I saw a beast rising out of the sea with 10 horns and seven heads, with 10 diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
1:08:55 Crowns are a dominant theme throughout the book of Revelation, but what do they represent? It's so obvious. They symbolize absolute authority over world kingdoms and empires. And for Satan to be described as having certain amount of crowns and for the beast to be described as having a a certain amount of crowns is meant to tell us that evil controls governments of different times in history and will be controlled in an unprecedented manner in the tribulation period. The animating, energizing influence behind these political figures and their movements is satanic according to the Bible in many instances.
1:09:41 But then when you come to Revelation 19, you see that the Son of Man now comes to the earth. We read of crowns on his head. Did you catch a number? Any number? If you have a number in your translation, you might have to change your translation.
1:09:56 There isn't a number. John couldn't count how many crowns were on his head. Innumerable. Satan's crowns are numbered. The beast crowns are numbered.
1:10:12 Christ, you can't count them. Many crowns. Clearly, this is a depiction of superiority. Clearly, this is something to showcase that Jesus Christ is sovereign over everything. Whatever Satan was able to do, whatever the beast was able to perform, fall short of what Christ will do and who Christ is.
1:10:46 When Christ returns, his dominance will not be partial. When Christ comes back, he will not have mere majority. His rule will be total. It will be absolute. There will not be one hill that will not have the flag of Christ planted on it.
1:11:05 There will not be one piece of land that will not be owned by him. There will not be one army that will be able to stand against him. He will cover this planet with his glory as the sea covers our world. The second coming of Jesus Christ will mark the universal reign of the son of God. And it will go on and on and on in such a manner that it will make every past world empire seem like child's play.
1:11:48 What he will achieve, what he will control, what he will be able to do on behalf of us all will be nothing short of amazing. So John sees Christ with many crowns. He couldn't even count them in such a way that it eclipses the great red dragon and the beast himself. Finally, John tells us that Christ's sovereignty manifests not just in his eyes, not just on the crowns that were placed on his head, but with a name. With a name.
1:12:27 And you read here, he has a name at the end of verse 12, and you're ready to know the name, but John says, no one knows about himself. And you think, then why tell us about it? He has a secret name. Okay. Now you're just teasing me.
1:12:44 What is the name? And some believe, well, he'll make it known when he comes back. I hope so. But in the case of this vision, it is purposely concealed. Not not to tease us, not to invite people to try to decode or find something, But to demonstrate, there are things that I know that you don't know, and that's just the way it is.
1:13:18 You are a creature. I am the creator. And no matter how much knowledge that you can build up, no matter how much insight you may have, what John is showing us here is that Christ possesses a knowledge that is far beyond ours. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways.
1:13:39 And so when he does return, there would be an awareness of a great sense of not just his might, but the majesty of his mind, the brilliance of his wisdom, the depth of his knowledge that none of us can fathom or access, And the realization of Christ's incomparable mind will become even more evident when he reveals himself to the world again. So why is Jesus Christ coming back? To manifest and exercise his sovereignty. Number three, Jesus Christ is coming back to fulfill prophecy. Look at verse 13 with me.
1:14:23 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is the word of God. So we look at his attire now. And again, perhaps for some of us, when we see the word or the imagery of blood associated with Christ, we automatically assume that it's speaking about his own blood. That this is yet another reference to his mercy and his grace that was shown on Calvary. Redemption is not in view in this passage, at least not directly.
1:14:59 What is? Judgment. The blood that's being spoken of here is not about payment made by Christ. It's a different payment that's being made, and he's not the one making it. That's further confirmed when you look at verse 15.
1:15:20 Look at Revelation nineteen fifteen. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. So anybody who is a student of the old testament will automatically be able to tell that what John is doing in verse 15 is borrowing the language of Isaiah who had a very graphic vision of the Messiah. When you ask people where is Jesus found in the book of Isaiah, they automatically say which chapter?
1:16:02 53 and rightly so. Isaiah 53 is primarily a portrait of the first coming of Christ. But did you know that there is a chapter that is designated to describe his second advent? I mean, there are many of them, but the one that connects with what we see here is Isaiah 63. Many people love to talk about Isaiah 53, and they neglect Isaiah 63.
1:16:30 And I'm warning you, if you've never seen the verses that we're about to read, you will be stunned, and you might even stumble in accepting that this is speaking about Jesus Christ of Nazareth, but it is according to John. Some of you are already turning there. I love that. You have to see this. In Isaiah 63, this is Isaiah seeing a mighty warrior and actually having a conversation with him.
1:17:00 And this mighty warrior is not a man. It's God himself. So let let's peek into this now and let's let's hear this dialogue and see what it says about Jesus. In Isaiah 63 verse one, Isaiah begins in verse one by asking, who is this who comes from Edom in crimson garments from Basra? He who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength.
1:17:34 It is I speaking in righteousness, mighty to save. Why is your apparel red and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? Pause. Sound familiar? Here's the answer in verse three.
1:17:56 I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me. I showed them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath. Their lifeblood splattered on my garments and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart and my year of redemption had come. There's so much to draw from this incredible vision, but let's leave it at this.
1:18:27 Both Isaiah and John are seeing the exact same event in their respective visions. Isaiah is seeing Messiah planting his feet on this earth, specifically from Edom, from Basra. That is significant. That's not a random detail. But then he goes on to say, why is your apparel red?
1:18:54 And the Lord answers by saying that he tread the winepress alone, and that is a very descriptive way of speaking about his violent encounter with his enemies whose blood stained his robe. And we read this and think we almost cringe a little bit. Is this really Jesus Christ? Now a few things can be said to relieve us because when Isaiah speaks up at first and God answers, look at the last part of verse one. It is I speaking in righteousness.
1:19:39 So when you read of this intervention against God's enemies, it's not blind fury. It's not unpredictable rage. It's righteous. It's righteous. And more than that, he says, mighty to save.
1:19:58 In other words, this judgment that I'm performing is required in order for my salvation to be complete and realized. What I am doing here, manifest my salvation. And it confirms what John saw That when the Christ opened the heavens and made his way down to the earth and his robe was dipped in, some translations, with blood, it's not his blood. It's the blood of his enemies. He's coming to make war.
1:20:39 He's coming to face those who have blasphemed them, who have rebelled against them, who have denied him, and they will indeed face his wrath. And perhaps you're still sitting there, and you're thinking to yourself, I see what you're saying, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to acknowledge it. And John has a very creative way of settling the identity of the one that he saw on that white horse with a rope stained with blood. Go with me to verse 13 again of Revelation 19. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood and the name by which he is called is the word of God.
1:21:28 Wow. Isn't that how John introduces Jesus to us in his gospel account? In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. What's John doing here? Well, he's letting us know, hey, do you remember the word back in my gospel account?
1:21:50 How Christ, the son of God, the second person of the Trinity made himself known to us? The same word in John chapter one is the same word in Revelation 19 here's what that means you can't accept one and not the other you can't say I want the Jesus of the gospel of John and not accept the Jesus of the book of Revelation many preachers have made this this comment that I'm about to share with you when people make a distinction between the God of the Old Testament, the God of the New Testament and they try to argue how they're different, that shows me that you haven't read through the New Testament. You stopped at the epistles. If you've read through the Old Testament and wondered, wow. And you come to the New Testament, you go, wait.
1:22:45 How do I reconcile this? Have you read to the end of the book of Revelation? If you have, then you'll say, okay. It makes sense now. It's the same.
1:22:53 He's the same. I can't say Jesus is mine in John's account of the gospel and in rejected Jesus of Revelation 19. He's the same word. But why am I bringing this point up here? Remember the third point.
1:23:28 He's coming back again to fulfill prophecy. And I love how in that very verse, out of all the titles that are ascribed to Christ, it's the word of God. You see, the return of Jesus Christ is not a New Testament thing. It's something that's been predicted by the prophets of old. The prophets of old have foretold his first Advent and they have certainly given us glimpses into his second.
1:23:55 And so for Christ to return in this way is meant to convey that what God had said will come to pass. If Jesus Christ does not come back, then you have certain descriptions of him, certain prophecies of him, certain events that are related to him that will not come to pass rendering God unfaithful. Christ has to come back in this way in order to solidify the faithfulness of God. There's not one thing that God said that will not come to pass. The second coming of Jesus Christ will declare to the world that what God had said about him has indeed come to pass.
1:24:48 What God had said about him about him was given to us well in advance, leaving humanity without excuse. So when Jesus Christ comes back, the world will say God was right. It's not allegorical. It's not metaphorical. It's not poetic.
1:25:07 It's not imagination. It's real. Unfortunately, for for many, it will be too late for them to acknowledge that when it happens. God's faithfulness is at stake. The credibility of his word is at stake.
1:25:24 You don't have a second coming, you have every reason to question the reliability of God. He will fulfill prophecy. Fourthly, the reason why Jesus Christ is coming back is to share his triumph with us. Look at verse 14 with me again of Revelation 19. And the armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
1:25:55 We've already determined the identity of this heavenly army in previous studies. This army who will accompany Christ from that celestial place into our world is none other than the bride of Christ. Why? Because the fine linen that we find here is the same attire that is described earlier in the same chapter with the bride of Christ who rejoices over the marriage of the lamb. And if you if you're deep into Revelation and you've already explored this and you're convinced otherwise that this heavenly army is actually angels, then on your own time, go to Revelation 17 verse 14, and it's undeniable.
1:26:43 There's no debate. Just mark that for a future time. Revelation seventeen fourteen confirms without a doubt that who we're seeing here in Revelation 19 is indeed the believers redeemed with Christ. Okay. Now that we've established it, what does it mean for this heavenly army to follow Christ when he returns?
1:27:08 Well, it means that they will go from that heavenly place with him and return to the earth in his presence to witness his triumph. Emphasis on witness. This is not a verse that suggest that we're going to literally fight the devil and demons and the antichrist and and everybody that supported them. Can I tell you why? There's only one person in this heavenly army who is armed.
1:27:42 Who exactly? Look at verse 15. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the almighty. Remember Isaiah where he says, I tread the winepress alone.
1:28:03 So this is not us wielding weapons, coming down to the earth, and slaying people. This is us sharing in his triumph as we stand on the side of victory and not judgment. A lot of Christians are scared reading, just reading the book of Revelation. They're terrified. And some of you are just counting down the days until this series is over because every time you've been coming to church, you leave here sweating, nervous, wondering what's going to happen to me, what's going to happen to my family.
1:28:41 Hey, do you see your designation in the book of Revelation? Do you see your fate do you see where you show up in the story we are going to share in his triumph we are not going to face the eyes of fire. We are going to be behind him celebrating rejoicing and saying our salvation has indeed come. Our salvation has now arrived. That's your future.
1:29:12 That's my future by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wrath is not your destiny. Salvation is. Redemption is. This is a promise, this vision of a heavenly army behind the Lord Jesus is meant to create a sense of security.
1:29:33 I'm going to be clothed in purity. I'm going to be sheltered by his presence. I'm going to be in his presence to enjoy his nearness forever and ever. You should not be terrified if you're a believer in Jesus Christ. You should be absolutely terrified if you don't know if you're saved.
1:30:03 Because you, if you're not a Christian, will not share in his triumph. You, because you have rejected his love, though you are an enemy of Christ, though you have denied his grace, we'll have a different future. And we see here that when Christ does come, it's not going to be a contest. There's not gonna be a back and forth battle. It's not gonna be a dragged on war.
1:30:42 We read here that from his mouth comes a sharp sword. That's not a literal sword. There's a mixture here of reality and symbolism. But when you compare scripture and with scripture, you realize that back in second Thessalonians two verse eight, Paul says that the man of lawlessness, who's the antichrist, will be destroyed at the appearing of Christ with the breath of his mouth. That's power.
1:31:10 The source speaks about the swiftness and the suddenness and the force of his word. Can you imagine that? When Christ come back comes back, all he will have to do is breathe out loud, and all his enemies will be vanquished. We will share in his triumph. And another way of looking at it is Christ Jesus will come back to vindicate his church.
1:31:41 His church that has been persecuted and bruised and battered by a hateful spiteful world will one day be raised up. We've taken with him to celebrate our consummation, and more than that, we'll return with him so that he can show the world what they missed out on. Jesus Christ will return so that we can share in his triumph. Lastly, the reason why Jesus Christ is coming back is so that he can rule forever. Revelation 19 verse 15 and verse 16.
1:32:22 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the almighty. On his robe and on his thigh, he has a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Now you can use these verses to reinforce the point that we heard earlier about his sovereignty because it's it's there. This is all about his sovereignty.
1:32:42 But there's a different element of his sovereignty that I wanna highlight here, and that is how his sovereignty will endure forever. King of kings and lord of lords, it's on his thigh. People debate why is it on his thigh. Well, if he seated on a horse, then that's probably one of the most visible places to see this name from that position. And this title here is so profound because throughout history, there have been many tyrants, many dictators who have boasted that their kingdoms and their empires would never end.
1:33:21 And the history books say otherwise. Whatever they've been able to achieve with their might, with their genius, ended up becoming castles of sand. But when Christ comes back, he will be the King of kings. He will be the Lord of lords. And you hear that and you think, yes, I understand.
1:33:45 The many crowns, he's above all. But it's more than that. This also speaks to the eternality of his lordship, and I wanna prove that to you in our final text. Let me ask you a question now. You can answer it inside.
1:34:05 Apart from the book of Revelation, where is the one place in the New Testament where the title King of Kings and Lord of Lords is used in reference to God? There's only one other place. I'll give you three seconds to think about it. Did you find an answer? First Timothy chapter six.
1:34:27 I want you to see something there before we end and rise together to sing to the Lord. First Timothy chapter six. Paul is charging believers to live in light of the return of Christ. And notice what he does with his doxology. He just burst out and prays when he speaks about the appearing of the Lord Jesus.
1:34:50 First Timothy six verse 14 to 16, the apostle says to us to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time, that is God. God will display the return of Jesus Christ at the proper time. He who is the blessed and only sovereign, the king of kings and lord of lords, who alone has immortality who dwells in unapproachable light whom no one has ever seen or can see to him the honor and eternal dominion. Amen. Some translations say eternal power.
1:35:36 It's a word in the Greek that can be stretched and the ESV is it onto something here by saying eternal dominion. Here's what this means for us. When Christ returns, the world will never go back to the way it was. Seemingly endless cycles of the rise and fall of leaders and their governments and their kingdoms will cease. He will raise up his government and it will be here to stay forever.
1:36:15 It will be a kingdom that will be singular, and it will be a kingdom that will be unshaken. When Jesus Christ comes back, according to Romans, he will never die again, and neither will his rule. Do you really believe this? I'm wondering as I'm preaching this. Do you understand the magnitude of what's being communicated here?
1:36:43 Are we talking about a story here? Are we talking about moral lessons from this fascinating book that has apocalyptic imagery? What are we actually doing here? We're actually talking about prophecy in the final book of divine library after seeing from Genesis to this point that God's word never fails and so if he was right with the first coming of Christ certainly he's going to be right with his second Do we actually feel the weight of what we just heard here? Jesus Christ is coming back.
1:37:15 The real historical Jesus will return. If you're a Christian, you believe that. If you're not a Christian, you don't have to believe that obviously. But if you are a Christian, we believe that. Like sometimes we get so familiar with these things, it doesn't even do anything.
1:37:40 But my prayer has been in putting these thoughts together, Lord, reawaken our sense of the reappearance of Christ. That should change absolutely everything about our lives. The stress in your life, the sickness in your life, the strife in your life, Live it all out in light of the fact that this Jesus whom I proclaim will return one day. And I don't know about you, but I'm ready for it to be today. I may be ready.
1:38:24 Some of you in this room may be ready, and it's very possible that in a sanctuary this size, there are some who are not ready at all. What a terrifying thing to leave this place, shrug your shoulders, and not consider for a moment if what you heard in this last fifty minutes or so was actually true. It is true, and it will happen for five reasons. This Jesus who died to save your soul has given us thousands of years to make up our mind. But when the time comes, he'll return to make war on all unbelief.
1:39:18 He will come to manifest and exercise his sovereignty. He will come to show that what God has said throughout the ages, he meant. He will come to share his triumph with those who have chosen to bend their knee in the age of grace, and he will come to stay forever. And today, he has commissioned his church to preach this word to ask all those who are willing to hear, be reconciled to God. God makes his appeal through us.
1:39:53 Be reconciled unto him. Repent of your sins today. Forsake your iniquity. Turn from all your doubts and all your disbelief and embrace the one who came to shed his blood two thousand years ago for you. Why would you deny this Christ?
1:40:15 Why would you walk away from him? Why do you put your trust in earthly rulers? Why are you more passionate and bothered with our politics today than with the eternal realities of our universe? If you're more bothered by what's happening in the White House and what's happening overseas than what's happening here in the word of God where there is a spiritual battle that has eternal consequences, we're missing it as Christians. We've lost our sense of the mission of God.
1:40:52 There is a real heaven. There is a real hell. You don't hear that word often these days. And it's the preacher's job and it's the church's job to remind souls that are in our neighborhoods to remind souls in our workplaces to remind souls that we pass by on a regular basis listen you have to understand you're more than just a bag of skin stuffed with meat You're created in the image of God and God created this world out of nothing and in love he sought to have fellowship with us in a perfect environment but he gave us a choice because love gives a choice and we chose to abandon him and all the mess that we have experienced since then is due to our sin but God in his great love entered into our very mess in order to rescue us and redeem us and we're called by God's help. Oh, may he stir us again for the lost to look at people in the eye unashamedly and say, listen, you are created for worship.
1:42:00 You are created to walk with God, but your sin is in the way. My sin was in the way, and I realized that, and I realized also that Jesus Christ died for my sin and he died for yours. He loves you. He longs for you. He wants to have you in his bosom for eternity.
1:42:20 That's the message of the church. That's the reason why we're here. That's the main reason why after you believe that Jesus Christ, he didn't wrap you in that moment. He puts his badge on you and says now you're my ambassador go go and realize that your existence here on earth is more than just paying off your mortgage and going on a couple of vacations a year. Those are all part of our life.
1:42:49 I'm not trying to sound unrealistic, but, oh, it's more than that. If I really believe that Jesus Christ is coming back, how can I prove it with my life? Let's ask God to help us to know how to prove it with our lives. He's willing to help us. Let's pray.
1:43:37 Lord, what a shame it would be to preach these truths with no urgency. What a strange thing it would be to explore these verses and not be stirred. Lord, we see here that you promised the return of your son. And we say, Maranatha, come, Lord Jesus. Don't just conquer our hearts, conquer the world.
1:44:12 Make it alright. Only you can do it. We're tired. We are weak, and we are yearning for your unfiltered fellowship. Lord, we are not those who are willing to accept the word of God from John and not the word of God from Revelation.
1:44:34 We say amen to both. And we thank you, Lord, that you've still given us time to proclaim Christ crucified. May today be the day of salvation for those in here who don't know you. And may this also be a day for us to realize, those who are already saved, that there is a completion to our salvation that awaits. Help us never forget that.
1:45:02 That this Jesus is coming back again. Only you can make that real. I admit gladly, Lord, that the delivery can only go so far in preaching. Only your Holy Spirit can make our hearts come alive. We pray that that would be our experience today.
1:45:28 In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. We will share in his triumph. I can't wait for it.
1:45:38 Until then, this is the closest thing to heaven that we get. So let's stand by faith, sing like we really believe what we just heard, and also realize that what awaits us, we can't even compare. Let's do that together. Nothing can compare.
1:52:07 Him. You know, there was a time in Western culture where God has moved in such powerful ways past revivals and ministries that have swept nations in glory. Many of you heard of George Whitefield. I believe this anecdote applies to him, but George Whitefield, at the height of his meetings, would preach outdoors, and he would draw crowds of thousands of people that would make their way to wherever he would preach from at four in the morning. And there's one story of a famous atheist at the time in England who is making his way to one of George Whitefield's meetings, and he was recognized by somebody on the street.
1:57:38 And so he asked them, sir, where are you headed? And he said, I'm going to hear that man preach. And again, it might be somebody other than Whitefield, but it's one of those giants of the faith. This guy this guy is an atheist, so the man who knew him says, but you don't believe what he says. He goes, I know, I don't believe it, but he does.
1:58:02 George Whitfield preach with such conviction. He was so convinced of what he was saying that even drew those who didn't believe his message because there's something compelling about being convinced. You can't fake it. You can't fake it. And if there's any application for us leaving this place, may it be this, Lord, everything that I heard today, things that I was perhaps reminded of, make it more real in my heart.
1:58:29 Make it more true in my heart, Lord. Let that be your sincere prayer. Pray it with your wife and your kids on your way home. Make it your focus over the next few days. Lord, help really just impress it on my soul to believe that there's a day coming when the heavens will open and you will you will appear again.
1:58:48 Only God can help you. Only God can help me. And when it becomes more real, it will carry a fragrance that might even draw those who once mocked what we just heard in this last hour. It's possible. So Lord, that's our prayer today.
1:59:03 You're the living God and we are your people who will one day join your heavenly army. But at this time, we are your ambassadors. Make us effective ambassadors And help us be convinced of these things by the work of your holy spirit so that our witness would carry a power that would draw draw them to you. This is your desire. We honor you, Lord.
1:59:28 Make us successful this week in Christ. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen and amen. Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus.
1:59:37 We'll see you at the picnic. God bless you. Take care.
