Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Come Up Here
Transcript
- 0:00Let's turn again for a little to the chapter we read in Revelation chapter 11.
- 0:05! I'm reading in verse 12.
- 0:10Revelation 11, verse 12.
- 0:13Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them,
- 0:17! Come up here!
- 0:18And they went up to heaven in a cloud,
- 0:22and their enemies watched them.
- 0:23As we know, Revelation is a book of great mysteries,
- 0:30and James McKeewith this morning was preaching from it,
- 0:34and he highlighted just that very thing,
- 0:36that some of it is very, very hard for us to understand,
- 0:40and it's very easy to get bogged down in it,
- 0:43and begin to speculate, and begin to tie ourselves in knots.
- 0:48But tonight I want us just very simply to look at these two witnesses
- 0:53that we have here, the reaction of the people to them,
- 0:57and of what God did with them,
- 1:00and the impact that it made upon all who watched
- 1:04and all who saw what was happening.
- 1:07And so in this chapter we read of the ministry of these two witnesses,
- 1:13and it's quite interesting when we see in verse 4 where it says,
- 1:17these are the two olive trees and the two lampstands
- 1:20before the Lord of the earth.
- 1:22And whenever you read that, it takes your mind to Zacharias' prophecy,
- 1:27because we have the very same kind of imagery there.
- 1:31And Zacharias, in his prophecy,
- 1:35was prophesying of how God was going to restore Israel from captivity,
- 1:42and that two men, Zerubbabel and Joshua,
- 1:46who would be the two instruments in God's hand,
- 1:49in bringing the people back and rebuilding and restoring the temple and such like.
- 1:55So there is definitely some link to that here.
- 1:59But here we have these two witnesses,
- 2:01two men in this revelation that John's been given,
- 2:07and they are given 1,260 days to witness.
- 2:13Roughly, about three and a half years,
- 2:16or a wee bit more, I'm not sure of the maths of that,
- 2:19but between three and four years they're able to witness.
- 2:24And in that period they are untouchable.
- 2:27For three and a half plus years they're going to preach.
- 2:31They had an appointed time,
- 2:33and when their ministry was over,
- 2:36they were going to face martyrdom
- 2:38because of their love and their faith to the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2:44And we know in this world
- 2:45that the very earth is red with the blood
- 2:49of those who love the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2:52Year after year after year throughout this world,
- 2:56thousands have been killed for no other reason
- 3:00than that they love the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 3:03There's that ongoing hatred to Christ,
- 3:06to his people, to his followers.
- 3:10Now it's interesting how the Lord often has his witnesses in twos.
- 3:16And we find himself, the Lord,
- 3:18remember when he sent out the disciples on mission,
- 3:21he sent them out in twos.
- 3:23And we often read in the New Testament
- 3:25of how in the early church they were in twos.
- 3:29We find Peter and John.
- 3:31We find Paul and Silas.
- 3:32We find Paul and Barnabas.
- 3:35And the two is, I believe, very important.
- 3:38One is there to encourage the other,
- 3:39and I'm sure the other is there to compensate
- 3:44for what one gives,
- 3:46because different personalities,
- 3:48different styles, different ways.
- 3:49So there's a lot of method in that.
- 3:54Now, you'll notice that when the time of the witnesses comes to an end
- 4:01and the persecution against them is so severe
- 4:06that two particular nations are mentioned.
- 4:10It talks about their death,
- 4:11and verse 8, it tells us,
- 4:16and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city
- 4:19that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt.
- 4:23And interestingly,
- 4:24these two names straight away will take to your own mind
- 4:28Sodom was a city of gross immorality.
- 4:32Egypt was a nation for its severe persecution of God's people,
- 4:39but also we know that at the time of the end of Genesis and into Exodus
- 4:44that Egypt was one of the foremost countries.
- 4:48It was a country of great wealth and of education,
- 4:52a country of materialism and paganism and worldliness.
- 4:56So in a sense, Sodom and Egypt stand for everything that this world is
- 5:02in its opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ,
- 5:05of all the immorality, the materialism, and all the power,
- 5:09and everything that is opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 5:14And as we know, it's still the very same thing today.
- 5:18So here's this world that is fired up in enmity
- 5:22and opposition to the witnesses.
- 5:26That are sent by God and enabled by God to proclaim the truth.
- 5:32Now, verses 8 and 9 are very interesting
- 5:36because you'll know that the witnesses,
- 5:39it tells us here about these witnesses.
- 5:42That tells us, verse 7,
- 5:44and when they'd finished their testimony,
- 5:46that is, when the time that the Lord had appointed,
- 5:49the beast that rises from the bottomless pit
- 5:51will make war on them and conquer them and kill them.
- 5:54And their dead bodies will lie in the street of that great city.
- 5:58So they weren't even given the decency of a burial.
- 6:03They were just left their bodies to rot where they lay.
- 6:08That's what the people thought of them.
- 6:12They looked on them as just dirt, as refuse,
- 6:14as something to be, just leave them where they are.
- 6:18But what's fascinating is verse 9.
- 6:21Now, people reading this at the time when John wrote it
- 6:36would say, how on earth is that possible?
- 6:39How can people from all the different languages in the world
- 6:43and all the different nations in the world
- 6:45and all the different tribes in the world,
- 6:48how can they all look for three and a half days
- 6:51on the bodies of these two witnesses?
- 6:56Well, back then, it would be impossible.
- 6:59But you and I know today it is not impossible
- 7:02because we live in this world of satellite communication
- 7:06and internet and everything that happens
- 7:09from Japan to New York, from the Antarctic to the Arctic.
- 7:13Everything is shown to everybody all over the world.
- 7:19There is this instant display of communication worldwide
- 7:24with all the technology that's available today.
- 7:29So, no difficulty for us to understand
- 7:33how we wouldn't be able to witness their bodies
- 7:37because there would be so many would be photographing
- 7:40and filming and showing what has happened.
- 7:43So, all around the world,
- 7:45people would be seeing exactly what is happening.
- 7:49But tragically, we see here that there's actually
- 7:53rejoicing at the death of the witnesses.
- 7:57There's this time of celebration
- 7:59because it tells us in verse 10,
- 8:02and those who dwell on the earth
- 8:04will rejoice over them and make merry.
- 8:08Isn't that incredible?
- 8:10And yet, that kind of opposition
- 8:13that these witnesses faced
- 8:15is the very same as happens today.
- 8:18There are so many people
- 8:20and people in places of influence
- 8:22and power, and their main aim
- 8:25is to eradicate the Christian faith.
- 8:29We find it in the media,
- 8:31we find it in the political world,
- 8:32we find it in education,
- 8:34in all the places of influence.
- 8:36There are those, and they're determined
- 8:38to silence the voice of Christ.
- 8:41To eradicate Christian influence
- 8:43out of the public place.
- 8:45There's this idea,
- 8:47have your Christianity,
- 8:48but have it at home.
- 8:49Have it privately.
- 8:50Don't dare bring it into the public arena.
- 8:54And so there's this determined push
- 8:56from so many.
- 8:57And it's just the very thing
- 8:59that we find here.
- 9:00See, the Lord is telling us
- 9:02exactly how it's going to be.
- 9:05And you know this,
- 9:06if violence could be used
- 9:07against the church
- 9:08in our land today,
- 9:10most certainly it would.
- 9:12Thankfully, just now,
- 9:13we're protected.
- 9:14But there might come a day
- 9:16when violence
- 9:17will become part and partial
- 9:19of what the church
- 9:20in our land
- 9:21will experience.
- 9:23But we find that the people
- 9:25are so happy
- 9:26and so full of joy
- 9:28that those witnesses are dead
- 9:30that we find
- 9:31it's quite extraordinary.
- 9:34That tells us in verse 10,
- 9:37and those who dwell on the earth
- 9:39will rejoice over them
- 9:40and make merry
- 9:41and exchange presents
- 9:43because these two prophets
- 9:46who have been a torment to them.
- 9:50Isn't that extraordinary?
- 9:51Somebody labeled this
- 9:52a satanic Christmas.
- 9:55They're so happy
- 9:56to see the witness of Christ
- 9:57done away with
- 9:59that they're exchanging presents
- 10:02and celebration.
- 10:04That's how awful
- 10:05the situation is.
- 10:06But you know,
- 10:08it changes in a second.
- 10:10In a moment,
- 10:11it all changes.
- 10:14And what happens next
- 10:15reminds me to a certain extent
- 10:16of when you go to Daniel
- 10:18in chapter 5
- 10:19with Belshazzar.
- 10:20Remember Belshazzar,
- 10:21the king?
- 10:23And he threw this massive party
- 10:25for a thousand of the lords.
- 10:27And it was a drunken orgy.
- 10:29And to add insult to injury,
- 10:31he had taken the golden vessels
- 10:33that had been brought
- 10:35from the capture of Jerusalem
- 10:36and they were using them
- 10:38to drink
- 10:38and call on the pagan gods.
- 10:43And at the height
- 10:44of that drunken orgy,
- 10:46all of a sudden,
- 10:46do you remember what happened?
- 10:49A man's hand appeared
- 10:51and began to write on the wall.
- 10:54And instantly,
- 10:56there was total silence
- 10:57in that hall.
- 10:59And it tells us
- 11:00that Belshazzar,
- 11:02he was so shaken
- 11:04that his body
- 11:05began to quake.
- 11:07His whole body
- 11:08began to shake
- 11:09with what he was seeing.
- 11:12Well, here's
- 11:13a similar moment.
- 11:15At the height
- 11:16of the party,
- 11:17at the height
- 11:18of the celebrations,
- 11:19at the height
- 11:20of rejoicing
- 11:21at the death
- 11:21of the witnesses,
- 11:23we find something
- 11:24extraordinary happening.
- 11:25that the two corpses
- 11:28that had been lying
- 11:30on the ground there
- 11:30for 84 hours,
- 11:33we could say,
- 11:33for three and a half days,
- 11:36all of a sudden
- 11:37come to life.
- 11:39They stand up.
- 11:41And if you and I
- 11:42had been there,
- 11:43we couldn't believe,
- 11:45talk of not being able
- 11:47to believe what you're seeing.
- 11:49But this is exactly
- 11:50what is happening.
- 11:52that God has brought
- 11:54these witnesses
- 11:56back to life.
- 11:57And it tells us
- 11:58great fear
- 11:59fell
- 12:00on them all.
- 12:03Great fear,
- 12:04no wonder.
- 12:07And you know,
- 12:08evil,
- 12:09although there are times
- 12:10it appears to triumph.
- 12:13And you say
- 12:13there's no end to it.
- 12:14It's just getting worse
- 12:15and it's getting worse.
- 12:18Its days are numbered already.
- 12:20evil will never
- 12:23ultimately triumph.
- 12:25There's always
- 12:26going to be an end to it.
- 12:28It's always ultimately
- 12:29of a temporary nature.
- 12:32And then we hear
- 12:33this voice of command
- 12:34to the witnesses,
- 12:35come up here.
- 12:37And they went up
- 12:38to heaven
- 12:38in a cloud.
- 12:41Come up here.
- 12:43You know,
- 12:43that's a voice,
- 12:44we'll come back to that
- 12:45in a moment.
- 12:45That's a voice
- 12:46that every Christian
- 12:49soul hears
- 12:51at the moment
- 12:52of their death.
- 12:54Come up here.
- 12:55Come up here.
- 12:57That's what happens.
- 12:59Every person
- 12:59who loves
- 13:02the Lord Jesus Christ,
- 13:04at the moment
- 13:05of death,
- 13:06their soul
- 13:06is summoned
- 13:07into the presence
- 13:09of the Lord.
- 13:11And the wonderful thing
- 13:13is that when God
- 13:13speaks a word,
- 13:15he gives power
- 13:17accompanying the word.
- 13:19See,
- 13:19that's a big difference
- 13:20between you
- 13:20and me
- 13:21and God.
- 13:23At the very beginning
- 13:25when God said
- 13:26the creation,
- 13:27it tells us,
- 13:29God said,
- 13:30let there be light.
- 13:32And there was light.
- 13:34Now,
- 13:34if you and I
- 13:35went into a room
- 13:37in a total blackout,
- 13:38and we said,
- 13:40let there be light,
- 13:41we could will it
- 13:42and wish it
- 13:43and exercise
- 13:44all the positive
- 13:45thinking in the world,
- 13:46but we couldn't
- 13:47produce one spark.
- 13:49It would just
- 13:49remain black.
- 13:51But when God
- 13:52says a word,
- 13:54accompanying the word
- 13:55is the power
- 13:56to do exactly
- 13:57what he has said.
- 14:01And that's
- 14:01the word,
- 14:02you see,
- 14:03for instance,
- 14:03when Peter walked
- 14:04on the water.
- 14:05Remember what Peter
- 14:06said on the boat,
- 14:07Lord,
- 14:08if it is you,
- 14:08bid me come to you.
- 14:10And Jesus
- 14:10just said,
- 14:11come.
- 14:12And accompanying
- 14:13that word,
- 14:14come,
- 14:14was the power
- 14:15to do what is
- 14:16humanly impossible
- 14:17to do.
- 14:21And you know,
- 14:21in a sense,
- 14:22it's the same
- 14:23with every soul
- 14:24that is saved.
- 14:26When you became
- 14:27a Christian,
- 14:29although
- 14:29theologically
- 14:31and such like,
- 14:32we might not
- 14:33be able to,
- 14:34but in a sense,
- 14:35it's what God
- 14:36says to every person
- 14:37when they come
- 14:38to faith,
- 14:38is come up here.
- 14:39it's when
- 14:42the word of God
- 14:43comes in power
- 14:44into your heart,
- 14:45into your life,
- 14:46and is able to do
- 14:48what has never been
- 14:48able to be done before,
- 14:50bring you
- 14:51from darkness
- 14:52into light,
- 14:53from death
- 14:53to life.
- 14:56You can't
- 14:57save yourself.
- 14:58An elder
- 14:58can't save you.
- 14:59A minister
- 15:00can't save you.
- 15:01A member
- 15:01of the family
- 15:02can't save you.
- 15:02You can't
- 15:03save yourself.
- 15:06Or the ministers
- 15:07and elders
- 15:07and family members
- 15:08and they pray
- 15:09for you,
- 15:10witness to you,
- 15:10but they can't
- 15:11save you.
- 15:13God alone
- 15:14is able to save.
- 15:17And we must
- 15:17always remember
- 15:18that,
- 15:18that it's God
- 15:19who saves.
- 15:23You see,
- 15:25we've got to be
- 15:26absolutely
- 15:27convinced of this
- 15:28because sometimes
- 15:30we think,
- 15:30oh,
- 15:30it's just a matter
- 15:31that I know
- 15:32that I've got
- 15:33to believe.
- 15:34And some people
- 15:35think it's an area
- 15:36of just,
- 15:37what we might
- 15:39say,
- 15:39positive thinking
- 15:40and being able
- 15:41to say in our
- 15:42heart,
- 15:42I believe.
- 15:44Salvation is
- 15:45a gift.
- 15:46God is the
- 15:47giver.
- 15:48And we go
- 15:49to God
- 15:49and say to him,
- 15:50Lord,
- 15:51I need to be
- 15:52saved.
- 15:53I want to be
- 15:54saved.
- 15:55But I can't
- 15:56get from here
- 15:58to there
- 15:58unless you
- 16:00will save me.
- 16:03That's what
- 16:03we need to do.
- 16:04we need to be
- 16:05absolutely,
- 16:06we do the
- 16:07asking.
- 16:09That's imperative.
- 16:11Seek and you
- 16:12will find.
- 16:13Our seeking is
- 16:14saying,
- 16:14Lord,
- 16:15save me.
- 16:17Reach down.
- 16:19Pull me to
- 16:20yourself.
- 16:21Come up here.
- 16:22May I hear
- 16:22these words.
- 16:23May these words
- 16:24of life come
- 16:24into my soul.
- 16:27And help me to
- 16:28know that I've
- 16:29passed from
- 16:29death to life.
- 16:31And he will,
- 16:32guaranteed.
- 16:32We've got to
- 16:34remember that we
- 16:35can't save our
- 16:36selves.
- 16:37It's God who
- 16:38saves.
- 16:40But as we
- 16:41said earlier,
- 16:41this voice come
- 16:42up here is the
- 16:44voice that takes
- 16:45place at the
- 16:46moment of death.
- 16:49You see,
- 16:50our soul,
- 16:51when we die,
- 16:52couldn't be
- 16:53transported on
- 16:54its own to
- 16:54glory.
- 16:58That's an
- 16:59impossibility.
- 17:01At death,
- 17:01God is
- 17:02enabling.
- 17:03God is
- 17:03controlling.
- 17:05God is
- 17:05over the
- 17:06whole situation.
- 17:08As we were
- 17:09originally made,
- 17:10death, as we
- 17:11know, wasn't
- 17:12part of the
- 17:13equation.
- 17:15When God
- 17:15said in the
- 17:16garden,
- 17:18over everything,
- 17:20it is good.
- 17:21Death was
- 17:22not there.
- 17:24There was no
- 17:24death.
- 17:25death.
- 17:26And it
- 17:27wasn't until
- 17:28Adam and
- 17:29Eve ate of
- 17:29the forbidden
- 17:30fruit.
- 17:30Remember what
- 17:31God said,
- 17:32in the day
- 17:33you eat of
- 17:34this fruit,
- 17:35you shall
- 17:36surely die.
- 17:37death.
- 17:38And the
- 17:39day they
- 17:39ate, the
- 17:40sentence of
- 17:41death began.
- 17:44And death
- 17:45has followed
- 17:46ever since.
- 17:48It is the
- 17:48great enemy,
- 17:49the great
- 17:49intrusion,
- 17:51the great
- 17:51thing that
- 17:52we hate,
- 17:54we recoil
- 17:54from.
- 17:57And it's a
- 17:57portal that we
- 17:58all have to
- 17:59pass through
- 18:00unless Christ
- 18:01returns first.
- 18:03And who
- 18:03knows?
- 18:04He may
- 18:04return before
- 18:05some of
- 18:06us pass.
- 18:07We don't
- 18:07know.
- 18:09It's the
- 18:09enemy that
- 18:09we all
- 18:10recoil from.
- 18:11The greatest
- 18:11instinct we
- 18:12have is
- 18:12self-preservation.
- 18:15But there's
- 18:16going to come
- 18:16a day when
- 18:18we have to
- 18:19give way.
- 18:21And many
- 18:21Christians,
- 18:22as we
- 18:23know, some
- 18:24Christians have
- 18:24the most
- 18:25amazing deaths
- 18:27and the
- 18:28most wonderful
- 18:29peace, but
- 18:29not every
- 18:30Christian.
- 18:30Some
- 18:31Christians have
- 18:31suffered,
- 18:32maybe through
- 18:33the illness,
- 18:34through different
- 18:34things.
- 18:36And they've
- 18:36suffered terribly
- 18:37as they've
- 18:37gone down
- 18:38into death's
- 18:38dark veil.
- 18:40And many
- 18:40a living
- 18:41hand has
- 18:42tended to
- 18:42them, and
- 18:42many a
- 18:43living arm
- 18:44has supported
- 18:44them.
- 18:45But we've
- 18:45got to
- 18:46remember that
- 18:46underneath,
- 18:48there's a
- 18:48more powerful
- 18:49hand and
- 18:50a more
- 18:50powerful arm,
- 18:52because the
- 18:53Lord is with
- 18:54his people at
- 18:54death.
- 18:56And as
- 18:57death approaches,
- 18:58I believe that
- 19:00the ministering
- 19:00spirits of
- 19:01God, the
- 19:01angels, are
- 19:03present.
- 19:04remember what
- 19:05Jesus said in
- 19:06the story of
- 19:06the rich man
- 19:07and Lazarus,
- 19:08that when
- 19:09Lazarus died,
- 19:12that his soul
- 19:13was carried by
- 19:14the angels
- 19:15into glory.
- 19:17I believe that
- 19:18that's what
- 19:20will happen,
- 19:22because the
- 19:23Lord is going
- 19:23to give this
- 19:24command, come
- 19:25up here, and
- 19:26the soul will
- 19:27be transported
- 19:28to glory.
- 19:29a voice that
- 19:31no person
- 19:31around the
- 19:32bed, or no
- 19:33person in
- 19:33the room, or
- 19:34no person
- 19:34anywhere is
- 19:35conscious of,
- 19:36but that
- 19:37voice of
- 19:37command, with
- 19:38the power and
- 19:39the authority,
- 19:40will carry that
- 19:41soul into
- 19:43glory, into
- 19:43the presence of
- 19:44the Lord.
- 19:46And Jesus, of
- 19:47course, is
- 19:47longing for that
- 19:48moment.
- 19:49We've always
- 19:50got to remember
- 19:50part of the
- 19:51high priestly
- 19:51prayer was,
- 19:52Father, I
- 19:54will, that
- 19:55they also
- 19:55whom you
- 19:56have given
- 19:57me, be
- 19:58with me
- 19:59where I am,
- 19:59that they
- 20:00may behold
- 20:00my glory.
- 20:01Jesus is
- 20:02longing for
- 20:02the day when
- 20:03every single
- 20:04Christian is
- 20:06going to
- 20:06arrive into
- 20:07glory.
- 20:09So the
- 20:09arrival of a
- 20:10Christian into
- 20:11glory is a
- 20:12wonderful thing
- 20:12in glory.
- 20:15Jesus is
- 20:16involved.
- 20:18Remember the
- 20:18picture that's
- 20:19given to us
- 20:19when Stephen
- 20:20was being
- 20:21stoned.
- 20:22And as he
- 20:23was about to
- 20:24be martyred,
- 20:24he says,
- 20:25Behold, I
- 20:26see the
- 20:27heavens opened
- 20:27and the
- 20:28Son of Man
- 20:29standing on
- 20:30the right
- 20:30hand of
- 20:31God.
- 20:31And some
- 20:32people have
- 20:32suggested that
- 20:34Jesus was
- 20:34standing in
- 20:36order to
- 20:36welcome Stephen
- 20:38home.
- 20:39That's a
- 20:39suggestion.
- 20:41But we know
- 20:41that there will
- 20:42be a real
- 20:43welcome.
- 20:44Enter into
- 20:44the joy of
- 20:46the Lord.
- 20:47So what a
- 20:48transformation
- 20:49will take place
- 20:50in the twinkling
- 20:51of an eye.
- 20:52All the
- 20:52suffering,
- 20:53all the
- 20:54pain,
- 20:55all the
- 20:55discomfort,
- 20:56all that
- 20:57this person
- 20:58is going
- 20:59through will
- 20:59change in a
- 21:00moment.
- 21:01In the
- 21:01twinkling of
- 21:01an eye,
- 21:03taken out
- 21:04of this
- 21:04world and
- 21:06transported
- 21:07straight into
- 21:08all the
- 21:09glory and
- 21:10the wonder
- 21:11and the
- 21:11joy and
- 21:12the beauty,
- 21:13the everlasting
- 21:13domain of
- 21:15the redeemed.
- 21:17And of
- 21:18course we
- 21:18here on
- 21:18earth mourn,
- 21:19those who
- 21:21have passed
- 21:21from us.
- 21:23We all
- 21:23know the
- 21:24stillness of
- 21:25death,
- 21:25the quietness,
- 21:26how we
- 21:27miss those
- 21:28who are
- 21:29near and
- 21:29dear to
- 21:30us.
- 21:31And it
- 21:31can be
- 21:31even a
- 21:32test to
- 21:32faith.
- 21:35I remember
- 21:36reading Robert
- 21:36Finlayson who
- 21:37had been a
- 21:37minister,
- 21:38he was
- 21:39certainly a
- 21:40minister in
- 21:40Lochs and
- 21:40I think he
- 21:41was a
- 21:41minister in
- 21:41Point way,
- 21:44way back.
- 21:44and he
- 21:47lost,
- 21:47when he
- 21:47was in
- 21:48Lochs,
- 21:49he lost
- 21:49two sons
- 21:50in a
- 21:51drowning
- 21:51tragedy.
- 21:53And somebody
- 21:54said to him,
- 21:54oh minister,
- 21:56this is hard
- 21:57for you,
- 21:57it's hard on
- 21:58flesh and
- 21:59blood.
- 22:01Oh yes,
- 22:01he said,
- 22:02and it's
- 22:02hard on
- 22:02grace itself.
- 22:04And that's
- 22:05true.
- 22:06Not only is
- 22:07it hard on
- 22:08the very
- 22:08flesh and
- 22:08blood,
- 22:09but in
- 22:10all the
- 22:10grace that
- 22:11God gives
- 22:12in a
- 22:12situation like
- 22:13that,
- 22:13it's still
- 22:14hard.
- 22:15And so
- 22:16it's
- 22:16inevitable
- 22:16that on
- 22:17this side
- 22:17we miss.
- 22:20But if we
- 22:20could see
- 22:21the glory
- 22:21that our
- 22:22Christian
- 22:23loved ones
- 22:24have entered
- 22:24into,
- 22:25it would
- 22:26so temper
- 22:26our mourning.
- 22:29And you
- 22:29know,
- 22:29all this
- 22:30that happens
- 22:31here,
- 22:32the picture
- 22:33that we're
- 22:33given of
- 22:33the celebration
- 22:35of the
- 22:35wicked
- 22:36turning into
- 22:37their hearts,
- 22:38turning to
- 22:39ice,
- 22:40at this
- 22:41picture of
- 22:42God's people
- 22:43rising up
- 22:44into the
- 22:44air,
- 22:45is a
- 22:45picture of
- 22:47what's going
- 22:47to happen
- 22:47at the
- 22:48end of
- 22:48the return
- 22:49of Christ.
- 22:50Because it
- 22:50tells us in
- 22:511 Thessalonians
- 22:52chapter 4,
- 22:53we have a
- 22:53wonderful picture
- 22:54there given
- 22:55to us of
- 22:56the return
- 22:56of Jesus.
- 22:57Jesus.
- 22:58And it
- 22:59tells us
- 22:59there as
- 23:00Christ
- 23:00descends
- 23:01from heaven
- 23:01that the
- 23:03Lord will
- 23:03give a
- 23:04mighty
- 23:04shout.
- 23:06There will
- 23:06be the
- 23:06voice of
- 23:07the archangel
- 23:08and the
- 23:09trumpet of
- 23:09God.
- 23:11And with
- 23:11this shout
- 23:13an extraordinary
- 23:14thing will
- 23:14occur.
- 23:16The
- 23:17graves
- 23:17will open
- 23:18and the
- 23:21graves
- 23:22will give
- 23:23up all
- 23:24their dead.
- 23:25And their
- 23:26bodies will
- 23:26be reunited
- 23:28with their
- 23:28soul.
- 23:29You know,
- 23:29interesting,
- 23:30it tells us
- 23:30that the
- 23:31redeemed,
- 23:32those who
- 23:32have gone,
- 23:33will be with
- 23:34the Lord
- 23:35in the air.
- 23:38Our souls
- 23:39will be at
- 23:40that moment
- 23:40joining.
- 23:43It's an
- 23:43extraordinary
- 23:44picture.
- 23:45That the
- 23:46redeemed are
- 23:47returning with
- 23:48the Lord.
- 23:49and the
- 23:50bodies at
- 23:50that moment
- 23:51of shout
- 23:51when the
- 23:52graves will
- 23:53open and
- 23:53the dead
- 23:54bodies will
- 23:54rise up,
- 23:55that we'll
- 23:56be reunited
- 23:57with the
- 23:58Lord,
- 23:59with our
- 23:59bodies in
- 24:00the air to
- 24:01be with
- 24:01the Lord
- 24:02forever.
- 24:02And after
- 24:03that occurs
- 24:04then those
- 24:05who are
- 24:05still alive
- 24:06of the
- 24:06Lord.
- 24:08If you're
- 24:09still alive
- 24:09when the
- 24:10Lord comes
- 24:10as a
- 24:11believer,
- 24:12you will
- 24:13then be
- 24:13caught up.
- 24:15You won't
- 24:15go through
- 24:16death,
- 24:17but you
- 24:17will be
- 24:17caught up
- 24:18at that
- 24:21irresistible
- 24:23voice and
- 24:24power,
- 24:24come up
- 24:25here.
- 24:26And we
- 24:26see that
- 24:27it tells
- 24:28us here,
- 24:29then they
- 24:29heard a
- 24:30loud voice
- 24:30from heaven
- 24:31saying,
- 24:31come up
- 24:31here,
- 24:32and they
- 24:32went up
- 24:32to heaven
- 24:33in a
- 24:33cloud.
- 24:34There's
- 24:34always a
- 24:34cloud.
- 24:35A cloud
- 24:36is symbolizing
- 24:37the presence
- 24:37and glory
- 24:38of God.
- 24:39You'll
- 24:39read of
- 24:40the
- 24:40manifestations
- 24:41of God's
- 24:42presence
- 24:43so often
- 24:43in the
- 24:44Bible,
- 24:44always a
- 24:45cloud.
- 24:46Well,
- 24:46here they
- 24:47go,
- 24:47they go up
- 24:48in the
- 24:48cloud.
- 24:51But for
- 24:52those who
- 24:53don't love
- 24:53the Lord,
- 24:55this is
- 24:55the most
- 24:56frightening
- 24:57moment.
- 24:59You know
- 24:59this,
- 25:00I hate
- 25:01to think
- 25:01of how
- 25:03it'll be,
- 25:04the
- 25:04realization
- 25:05that everything
- 25:07that they
- 25:07held to
- 25:08was wrong,
- 25:09that they
- 25:09got it
- 25:10all wrong,
- 25:11and now
- 25:11it's too
- 25:12late to
- 25:14do anything
- 25:14about it.
- 25:15but that's
- 25:17how it's
- 25:18going to
- 25:18be for
- 25:18some
- 25:18people.
- 25:19It tells
- 25:20us that
- 25:20very clearly
- 25:21in the
- 25:21word.
- 25:24Discovering
- 25:24that the
- 25:25gospel
- 25:26that you
- 25:27mocked
- 25:27is real,
- 25:29that the
- 25:30return of
- 25:31Christ that
- 25:31you ignored
- 25:32is real,
- 25:34that the
- 25:35hell that
- 25:35you might
- 25:36have laughed
- 25:36at is
- 25:37real,
- 25:38and now
- 25:39it's too
- 25:40late to
- 25:41do anything
- 25:42about it,
- 25:42because the
- 25:44path that
- 25:44you have
- 25:44chosen is
- 25:46finally set.
- 25:49It's a
- 25:50solemn,
- 25:50solemn
- 25:50thought.
- 25:52But you
- 25:53know,
- 25:53tonight the
- 25:53wonderful thing
- 25:54is that
- 25:56we are still
- 25:56on mercy's
- 25:57ground,
- 25:58and the
- 25:58invitation of
- 25:59the gospel
- 25:59is still
- 26:00here.
- 26:01The voice
- 26:02of Jesus
- 26:02is saying,
- 26:03come up
- 26:04here in
- 26:04the sense
- 26:04that he's
- 26:05calling each
- 26:06and everyone
- 26:07who is still
- 26:07outside Christ.
- 26:10Tonight,
- 26:10tonight,
- 26:12if you
- 26:13hear my
- 26:14voice,
- 26:15do not
- 26:16harden your
- 26:17heart.
- 26:18That's what
- 26:18it says.
- 26:19And you
- 26:20know,
- 26:20if you
- 26:20come to
- 26:21faith and
- 26:21rest your
- 26:22soul in
- 26:23Jesus,
- 26:24the words
- 26:25of Scripture
- 26:26will be so
- 26:27true for
- 26:27you that
- 26:28it will be
- 26:28better on
- 26:30the day of
- 26:31your death
- 26:32than it
- 26:33will be on
- 26:34the day of
- 26:35your birth.
- 26:36Let's pray.
- 26:38Lord our
- 26:39God,
- 26:39we thank
- 26:40you for
- 26:41your word,
- 26:42for the
- 26:43reality of
- 26:44it,
- 26:44the solemnity
- 26:45of it,
- 26:45the glory
- 26:46of it.
- 26:47And we
- 26:48pray that
- 26:48your word
- 26:49will go
- 26:49down deep
- 26:50into our
- 26:50souls,
- 26:51transforming
- 26:52them.
- 26:53Nothing else
- 26:54will.
- 26:55It's by
- 26:55your word
- 26:55we're saved.
- 26:56It's by
- 26:56your word
- 26:57we're
- 26:57sanctified.
- 26:59Everything
- 26:59is through
- 27:00your word.
- 27:01And so
- 27:01we pray
- 27:02that your
- 27:03word will
- 27:03have the
- 27:04main place
- 27:05in our
- 27:05life,
- 27:06that we
- 27:07will live
- 27:07on it
- 27:07and die
- 27:08in it.
- 27:09We pray
- 27:09to bless
- 27:10us then
- 27:10and part
- 27:11us tonight
- 27:11with your
- 27:12blessing.
- 27:12Grant us
- 27:13your grace
- 27:13and do
- 27:14us good
- 27:14and cleanse
- 27:15us,
- 27:16we pray,
- 27:16from our
- 27:17every sin.
- 27:18In Jesus'
- 27:18name we
- 27:19ask it.
- 27:19Amen.
- 27:22We're going
- 27:23to conclude
- 27:24our service
- 27:24singing in
- 27:25Psalm number
- 27:2616.
- 27:27This is
- 27:27from Sing
- 27:28Psalms,
- 27:29Psalm number
- 27:3016.
- 27:32And we're
- 27:32going to sing
- 27:33the last
- 27:33four stanzas,
- 27:35verses 8 to
- 27:36the end,
- 27:37Psalm 16.
- 27:38from verse
- 27:428,
- 27:43which is
- 27:43on page
- 27:4417.
- 27:48Before me
- 27:49constantly
- 27:49I set
- 27:50the Lord
- 27:51alone.
- 27:52Because he
- 27:53is at my
- 27:54right hand,
- 27:54I'll not
- 27:55be overthrown.
- 27:57Therefore
- 27:57my heart
- 27:58is glad,
- 27:59my tongue
- 27:59with joy
- 28:00will sing,
- 28:01my body
- 28:02too will
- 28:03rest secure
- 28:04in hope
- 28:04unwavering.
- 28:06for you
- 28:07will not
- 28:07allow my
- 28:08soul and
- 28:09death to
- 28:09stay,
- 28:10nor will
- 28:11you leave
- 28:11your holy
- 28:12one to
- 28:12see the
- 28:12tombs decay.
- 28:14You have
- 28:15made known
- 28:15to me
- 28:16the path
- 28:17of life
- 28:17divine.
- 28:18Bliss
- 28:19shall I
- 28:19know at
- 28:20your right
- 28:20hand,
- 28:21joy from
- 28:22your face
- 28:23will shine.
- 28:23verses 8
- 28:25to the
- 28:25end,
- 28:25Psalm 16.
- 28:26Before me
- 28:27constantly
- 28:28I set
- 28:28the Lord
- 28:29alone.
- 28:29Amen.
- 28:30Amen.
- 28:53to the
- 28:54heart
- 28:55and
- 28:56be
- 28:57overthrown.
- 28:58heart
- 28:59is glad,
- 29:00my tongue
- 29:01with joy
- 29:02will sing,
- 29:04my heart
- 29:06is glad,
- 29:08my tongue
- 29:09with joy
- 29:10will sing,
- 29:11my heart
- 29:12will
- 29:13be
- 29:14done.
- 29:15My
- 29:16heart
- 29:17will
- 29:18done.
- 29:19My
- 29:20heart
- 29:21body
- 29:22too
- 29:23will
- 29:24rest
- 29:26secure
- 29:27in
- 29:29hope
- 29:30and
- 29:31living
- 29:32for
- 29:34you
- 29:37will
- 29:38not
- 29:39allow
- 29:42my
- 29:44soul
- 29:45in
- 29:46captivity.
- 29:48to
- 29:49stay
- 29:50down
- 29:51where
- 29:53you
- 29:54need
- 29:55your
- 29:56holy
- 29:58one
- 29:59to
- 30:01see
- 30:02the
- 30:03tom
- 30:04decay
- 30:05you
- 30:08have
- 30:09made
- 30:11known
- 30:12to
- 30:13me
- 30:14the
- 30:16path
- 30:17of
- 30:18life
- 30:19divine
- 30:20will
- 30:21shine
- 30:22you
- 30:23and
- 30:24you
- 30:25will
- 30:26shine
- 30:27and
- 30:28you
- 30:29will
- 30:30you
- 30:31and
- 30:32you
- 30:33will
- 30:34you
- 30:35and
- 30:36you
- 30:37will
- 30:38shine
- 30:39you
- 30:40may
- 30:41the
- 30:42and
- 30:43peace
- 30:44of
- 30:45the
- 30:46Father
- 30:47the
- 30:48Father
- 30:49Son
- 30:50and
- 30:51the
- 30:52Holy
- 30:53Spirit
- 30:54rest
- 30:55and
- 30:56upon
- 30:57each
- 30:58one
- 30:59of
- 31:00you
- 31:01now
- 31:02more
- 31:03amen
- 31:04go to
- 31:05main
- 31:06moment
- 31:07moment
- 31:08moment
- 31:09moment
- 31:10moment
- 31:11moment
- 31:13moment
- 31:15moment
- 31:17moment
- 31:18moment
- 31:19moment
- 31:20moment
- 31:21moment
- 31:22moment
- 31:23moment
- 31:24moment
- 31:25moment
- 31:26moment