"Counterfeit Gods"

Let me invite you to come in and take a seat as we begin.

It's good to see you all today.

In the book of Isaiah, chapter 45, verse 22, God says this,

Isaiah 45:22

Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is no other.

So we live in a world where it can be increasingly hard to tell what's real and what's fake, right?

And that's not just the case on the internet or on a news cycle.

It's also true of the spiritual life.

Sociologists and some philosophers of modernity describe it as the Nova effect.

Every day there's an increasing number of options that seem to present themselves

for our spiritual consideration and consumption.

Boom!

They just multiply.

But you know, in the midst of the book of Isaiah,

the God of the Bible, one true creator and redeemer,

has revealed himself definitively in Jesus Christ.

We see the glory of God in the face of Jesus.

He makes himself unmistakably free to us.

And this God says,

I am God.

There is no other.

Turn to me and be saved.

So in worship, we have an opportunity to respond to this call of God.

To turn to him.

To find a real God who's made himself known and has saved to be rescued.

So let's stand and let's sing together.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This is my story.

This is my song.

Praising my Savior all the day long.

This is my story.

This is my song.

Praising my Savior all the day long.

You were the word at the beginning.

One with God the Lord knows time.

Your hidden glory and creation.

Now we build in you, O Christ.

What a beautiful name it is.

What a beautiful name it is.

The name of Jesus Christ my King.

What a beautiful name it is.

The name of Jesus.

The name of Jesus.

The name of Jesus.

You didn't want heaven without us.

So Jesus you brought us down.

When sin was great.

When sin was great, your love was greater.

The name of God.

The name of Jesus.

The name of Jesus.

The name of Jesus.

The name of Jesus.

The name of Jesus.

What a beautiful name it is.

What a wonderful name it is.

The name of Jesus Christ my King.

What a beautiful name it is.

Nothing compares to this.

Nothing compares to this.

What a wonderful name it is.

The name of Jesus.

What a wonderful name it is.

The name of Jesus.

Death could not hold you.

The veil tore before you.

You silenced the lost.

How sin and gain.

The heavens are roaring.

The praise of your glory.

For you are raised to life again.

And you have no rival.

You have no equal.

Now and forever God you raise.

But yours is the kingdom.

And yours is the glory.

Yours is the name.

Above all names.

What a powerful name it is.

What a powerful name it is.

What a powerful name it is.

And nothing can stand against.

What a powerful name it is.

The name of Jesus.

And you have no rival.

You have no equal.

Now and forever God you raise.

Yours is the name of God.

Yours is the kingdom.

Yours is the glory.

Yours is the glory.

Yours is the name.

Yours is the name.

The name above all names.

What a powerful name it is.

What a powerful name it is.

What a powerful name it is.

What a powerful name it is.

The name of Jesus Christ my King.

What a powerful name it is.

What a powerful name it is.

Nothing can stand against.

What a powerful name it is.

The name of Jesus.

What a powerful name it is.

What a powerful name it is.

You may be seated.

Good morning church.

Our reading this morning is taken from the book of Daniel chapter 7 verses 7 to 18.

Daniel 7:7–18

That is Daniel 7 verses 7 to 18.

Daniel 7:7–18

It is on page 697 of the Pew Bible.

When I am done reading I will say,

This is God's word to which I invite you to respond,

Thanks be to God.

In this passage, Daniel is already part way through describing a vision that he had received.

So once again, Daniel 7, 7 to 18.

I read,

After this, in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong.

It had great iron teeth.

It devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet.

It was different from all the beasts that were before it.

And it had ten horns.

I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots.

And behold, in this own horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool.

His throne was fiery flames, its wheels were burning fire.

A stream of fire issued and came out from before him.

A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

I looked then, because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking.

And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed, and given over to be burned with fire.

As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man.

And he came to the Ancient of Days, and was presented before him.

And to him was given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom, one that shall not be destroyed.

As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me.

I approached one of those who stood there, and asked him the truth concerning all this.

So he told me, and made known to me the interpretation of the things.

These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth.

But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.

This is God's word.

Amen.

Let us pray.

Father God, we thank you for the gift of your word, and for the ways it helps us to see you clearly.

In the midst of the increasingly self-promoting and boastful world that we live, we are glad that you remain the one worthy of all true worship.

The Ancient of Days, in a class of your own, with no rival or equal, in heaven above or on earth below.

We rejoice with the thousand thousands that serve you, and join the innumerable hosts of creation to sing your praise.

Yet, Lord, no sooner we rise from worship than the vision begins to fade, as we are sworn by the voices of beasts and idols that seek to usurp your position of worship in our hearts.

They speak great boasts and lies, promising to fulfill our deepest desires, things we only ought to seek from you, if only we would worship and serve them.

We would claim to be wise and spiritual enough to see through the folly and lies of their boast, Lord, but alas, we are often deceived.

Even worse, Lord, more often than we dare acknowledge, we become like them, claiming to have achieved by our merit and skill the true victor who, through his death and resurrection, rescued us from our sin and our reigns in majesty.

We see him, to whom one day every knee will bow and tongue confess to his everlasting dominion.

We see him who will fulfill our deepest longings, promising to wipe away every tear from our eyes, and to give us a share in his kingdom for our possession forever and ever.

We ask that you help us keep that vision.

We ask that you have given to everyone who has turned from self-reliance and self-salvation to trust wholly in Christ,

that a perfect ransom has been paid for you by God's own Son, the perfect Son of Man, Jesus Christ,

and all your sins have been forgiven.

So let's...

This is...

Is...

Peacarlúng...

We...

In all that score

Bowing to the Father's will

He took the crown of thorns

Oh, that rugged cross

My salvation

Where you love poured out

Over me

Now my soul cries out

Hallelujah

Praise and hallelujah

To Thee

Please stand as we continue to worship

The scent of heaven

God's own soul

To purchase and redeem

And reconcile the very ones

Who nailed Him to the tree

Oh, that rugged cross

My salvation

Where you love poured out

Over me

Now my soul cries out

Hallelujah

Praise and honor

Now my death is paid

It is paid in full

Now the curse of sin

Has no hold on me

Whom the sun sets free

Oh, is free indeed

Now my death is paid in full

Now my death is paid in full

By the precious blood

That my Jesus

Now my death is paid in full

Now the curse of sin

Has no hold on me

Whom the sun

Whom the sun sets free

Oh, is free

Indeed

Indeed

Indeed

Oh, that rugged cross

acs my salvation

And VI

Praise and honor run to thee

See the stone is rolled away

Behold the empty tomb

Hallelujah, God be praised

He's risen from the grave

Oh, that rugged cross of salvation

May your love float out over me

Now my soul cries out

Hallelujah

Praise and honor run to thee

Praise and honor run to thee

Please be seated

Paul tells us in Ephesians 2 that the cross has not only removed the barrier between us and God, but also between us and one another.

The new community the church is a gospel reality

So we pause to mention just a few things happening in our corporate life together

First if you're visiting or if you're new

Feel free to fill out one of our welcome cards in the pews in the boxes at either exit of the sanctuary and we'd be happy to connect with you or to pray for you

Coming up next Sunday

March 3rd

After the service over lunch, we'll be hosting Trinity 101

Now Trinity 101 is a class for those who are interested in membership at Trinity

Or if you're new and you just want to learn more about the church

You can come to Trinity 101 as well

Everyone's welcome to come to that

You can fill out an RSVP for Trinity 101 on the home page of the website

If you just go to our home page and scroll down there should be a button there to RSVP for Trinity 101 next Sunday

Also next Sunday at 9 a.m.

Our adult Sunday school class is continuing in the book of Ephesians

And next Sunday we're coming to that great passage in Ephesians 5 about marriage

So if you'd like to come and learn more about a biblical vision of marriage and all those good things

You come next Sunday at 9 a.m.

To adult Sunday school

Two more things a couple of weeks from now our youth group will be heading out on spring retreat

March 8th through 10th or winter retreat sort of depends in New England

How the weather decides to be that weekend?

It will either be a spring retreat or a winter retreat

If you are in middle school or high school

Our youth group meets every Sunday after the service in the fellowship hall classroom downstairs

So if you want to learn more about youth group, you can come talk to me after the service and

Beth and I be happy to connect you with our youth group leaders

And get you plugged into to our youth ministry

Last thing

Good friday and easter are coming up believe it or not easter is march 31st this year

And we'll have our good friday service on march

29th at 6 30 as well

Let me encourage you to start thinking who you might invite to come with you to either of these services

These are great services to invite friends who might not normally come to church

And the gospel will be clearly presented in both of those services

So consider who you might bring along

Well

As a church

We see of our city as we reach here locally

We have an impact globally

And john and anita hinkson

Have been at the vanguard of this work for many many years here in new haven and at yale university through their work at the rivendell institute

Many of you know and love john and anita

As they have been members here at trinity for

Well

Probably longer than most of us right john

But not all of us

And they have been mentors and models for

Last thing that he wrote before the lord took him

He identified some of these challenges that we the church in america

Really really discouraging

We we really are struggling

With attractiveness and we have a deep need

For transformation

Conformity to the image of christ

Second one that tim mentions

Is uh

We we seem to be really challenged with our ability to take the wonderful good news of the gospel

And communicate it

Such that it is actually heard

As good news

We have this challenge we struggle with this challenge

Of thoughtful translation

Of the gospel

Such that it's heard

As good news

So those are a couple of the challenges that we face and again

I I don't mean to be over dramatic

As a church as a people of god across the ages we've always faced challenges like these

So nothing new here

But these are a couple of the challenges that we at rivendell are trying to put our attention to

And and anita and I have been

Seeking to respond to these challenges all the years that we've been here many decades

And uh trying to cultivate disciples of jesus as growing image bearers and witness bearers

Mark 2 13 describes jesus it says of jesus he went out

Again

And the people came to him

And he taught them

See that he went out

He was missional

He took the initiative to connect with those around him and he did it again and again and again

This was his this was his practice

And he went out and the people came to him

That was he was attractive

They found something in him that just drew them to him

He went out

And the people came to him and he taught them

He was able to impart

He had good news to offer them

And he communicated that

So that's what we that's what we try to do

We seek to sow to present and future in that sense

It's also a place where so much of the discourse that animates our nation is kind of forged

It's it ideas of the currency of the university

So it's a wonderful place to bring gospel truths there

And particularly

We find ourselves I'm convinced

In a time where to use Paul's expression

A wide door for effectual service is opened to us

As he says in first corinthians

So what is this new wide door?

Well

I'm going to try to make this super short

I love this stuff as an historian

The university has long operated

Unicipate

So as a result many Christians in the academy

Have found themselves undergoing this very secular apprenticeship

As they are cultivated in their disciplines

And have very few models

Or very much opportunity to begin to ask the question

Well what bearing does my faith have in this discipline?

What are some of the riches that the gospel might bring

To the questions that my discipline asks

The challenges that we face

So very little of that is done

Now lately

Here's some of the good news

Lately

This enlightenment model of how we should do the university

Is really starting to fray significantly

And it's a fascinating story

I'd love to tell it in like some time

But this supposed neutral rationality

That the university prizes

Really like a suit

That you could just take off

And leave behind

Isn't it more like a skin

That you just bring with you inevitably?

In fact

Inevitably we see through lenses

That we each and every one

Have been grinding all our lives

Through all of our experiences

And that's what we've got

To engage with knowledge with

So all this to say

That this old model

The enlightenment model of the university

Is really fraying

And now people are realizing

Hey

We inevitably bring our perspectives

Let's bring them

In the hopes that they can contribute

So we want to try to encourage Christians

To begin to think this way

And in terms of their contribution

That they can make

In a sense

To sow to

What we might call

A Christian renaissance

Whereby we as believers

In our different disciplines

Are beginning to ask

Well what are some of the riches

Of the gospel

That I can bring to bear

In my discipline

Some of the motivations

Some of the insights

Some of the intuitions

That I can then bring to bear

On the puzzles

And the projects

That the academy has

For the common good

And notice

For the common good

This is the way

We need to frame it

In contrast to a way

That often it can be tempting

To frame it in

In terms of the culture war

Where we're thinking

In terms of a power struggle

Okay

These people think this way

And we think differently

And we just need to beat them

In this power struggle

No, no, no

We need to think in terms

Of the common good

And this sort of Christian contribution

Brought into the context

Of the academy

Is going to require

Some sort of sensitivity

And thoughtfulness

In its contextualization

To really make a contribution

But there is a contribution

To be made

So how do we go about

Sowing to these things?

Well one

By engaging

That is

Finding

And maybe forging

Contexts

In which

It is very natural

For us to be able

To bear witness to Christ

Finding or forging

Those places

It's very natural

To just speak of these things

One of the places

That I've made reference

To a few times now

Is a sauna

Where a whole lot of people

From the university hang out

And they're sitting there

And we have conversations

About meaningful things

All the time

There's a place

Dinner tables

Hikes

So many places

That we can find

Where it's natural

To communicate the good news

But then also

Coming on the side

Believers

And helping to equip them

To be able to do

These things well

Creating a womb

If you will

Where these good

Capacities can gestate

So what Anita and I have done

In our particular task

At Rivendell

Is putting together

It's a lot of fun

And you know

There is such a hunger

For the gospel

We're finding

Yeah

You remember how

Jesus said to Paul

In Corinth

I guess it was

Go on

Go on

Communicating the gospel

For I have many people

In this city

And we trust that the Lord

Has many people

In this city

I'll just give one

Quick illustration

As I say

One of the wonderful places

We found

Is the sauna

Of a local gym

That we go to

Where a lot of

University folk hang out

And it's

Come to have a reputation

Of a place where you can go

To talk about

These meaningful things

In fact

Just the other day

There was a fellow

That came up

And he pressed his

He pressed his face

Up against the

Glass door

And he said

Hey is

Is this the place

Where we talk about

Meaningful things in life

I've heard

That there

That you guys do that

And is this

Says yeah

Come on in

Come on in

So when he comes

And he

He was a ripe old age

He was a professor emeritus

That was there

And he comes in here

Come on in

Come on in

And here

You've been here before

No first time

We'll take the

Take the lower bench here

Not a humble thing

It's just less hot

Yeah yeah

Come on in

And we're going at

We're going at

Gospel conversation

And Kierkegaard

And Hegel

And that

And he's just having

So much fun

And as I'm watching him

About 10-15 minutes in

But it was just so wonderful

You don't know

How long it's been

Since I've had

Conversations like these

I really need these

And we're finding this

Again and again and again

So the harvest

Is ripe and white

So we just want to be

Workers to go out there

And thank you

For your partnership in this

You as a church

Have come alongside us

And allowed us to do this

All these many years

And we're really grateful

For this partnership

In Asia, Africa, South America

The Middle East

The Pacific Islands

In your providence

You have gathered people here

In New Haven

From all these places

So we thank you

For the faithful labors

Of John and Anita

And how through their work

They have

Let our love for you

Lord Jesus abound

With the freedom

Of your love for us

Your forgiveness of sins

The hope we have in you

Of a good and certain future

The purpose you give

To each and every day

Be like a stream

That wells up in our hearts

Pushes over the banks

You are God

And there is no other

You're the one we've been

Looking for this whole time

And now where else

Would we go?

How deep the Father's love for us

Cause my sin upon his shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice

Why should I gain from his reward?

I can't

Before we begin

I want to do something real quick

This is not a book giveaway

Sorry, I will need these

For the next couple of weeks

Or months

Three books on the book of Revelation

If you're interested in

Finding something to read

Blessed by Nancy Guthrie

It's new

It has a whole series of podcasts

If you want to listen

Rather than read

It's been very good

Vern Poitras

The Returning King

A Guide to the Book of Revelation

It's small

But very powerful

And then

The commentary that I've spent

Most of my time is

Greg Beal

This is Little Beal

There's a big one

So this is

This is your user friendly version

It's only 400 pages

Instead of 800

So

But

If you're looking for those

They also were sent out

A couple weeks ago

In the weekly newsletter

As an attachment

And if you need to find that again

You can contact the church office

And we can direct you again

To getting those

We continue in the book of Revelation

If you were here in the fall

You would remember that when

We looked at the situation

Of the churches in the first century

One of the pressures they faced

Was the rise of the cult of the emperor

In the first century

There were slowly but growing

Worship of the emperor

Throughout the Roman Empire

Initially it was only

Worshipping dead emperors

So you had to have been

In the past tense

In order to get a temple built for you

But by the end of the first century

They were starting to build temples

To living emperors

And the emperor was being exalted

To a high level

And Christians were facing

A challenge

Because the empire they lived in

Was providing great things

It was providing peace

It was providing security

It was providing economic prosperity

The travel

The roads that they built

The ways that they improved society

For many people

It was something that they wanted

To be a part of

And yet

And yet

The emperor was increasingly

Being raised up

And of course

We also know

That for the Christians

It wasn't always a great thing

When the emperor

Had so much power

In society

Because when the emperor

Decided he didn't like Christians

Or he wanted to blame Christians

For things that were going wrong

Persecution ensued

And there was great suffering

In the church

In the midst of this

Imagine yourself

As a first century Christian

And thinking

You know what

They're right

That's the life I want

I'm just going to say

Okay

I'll worship the emperor

How bad can it be

Now

We sit here in church

And we think

Would we do that

Well

You know

There are lots of stories

Throughout human history

Where people

Captivated by something

That met their longings

In particular ways

And showed great promise

And power

Turned their allegiance

To these things

This is what happened

In Germany

In the 1930s

This is what happened

In America

As white people

Embraced a view

Of race

That was so contrary

To God's plan

In the church

And listen

It happens globally

It happens politically

It happens societally

It happens personally

When we laugh

With the bully

Rather than stand up

For the kid

Who's picked on

At school

Or when we

Allow

A colleague

To continue

Speaking poorly

Of one of your

Co-workers

Unfairly

And unjustly

How easily

We get caught up

In things

Greater than us

Because we want

To belong

Because we want

To prosper

Because we want

To find life

This morning

We're going to look

At Revelation

Revelation 13 · chapter mention

Chapter 13

And if you want

To turn there

It's page 972

In your pew bible

We're going to be

Looking at a picture

And we're in a section

In Revelation

12 through 14

Where we see

That there's a real

Spiritual warfare

Going on

That we are involved

In right now

Between the forces

Of God

And his kingdom

And those

Who would stand

Against it

And we saw

There was a dragon

In the

Revelation

Symbolic language

The dragon

Symbolizing Satan

Pursuing the woman

Who was giving birth

To the church

And these pictures

This image

Of this grand battle

And so this is what

We saw in chapter 12

In chapter 13

What we see

Is an extension

Of that vision

We see going back

And saying

Okay how did this

Battle

How was this battle

Waged

And what we will see

Is that the battle

Here is waged

Through counterfeit

Power

And being a symbol

Of Satan

So here we go

Then the dragon

Became furious

With the woman

And went off

To make war

On the rest

Of her offspring

On those who keep

The commandments

Of God

And hold

To the testimony

Of Jesus

And he stood

On the sand

Of the sea

And I saw a beast

Rising out of the sea

With ten horns

And seven heads

With ten diadems

On its horns

And blasphemous names

On its heads

And the beast

That I saw

Was like a leopard

Its feet were like a bear's

And its mouth

Was like a lion's mouth

And to it

The dragon gave his power

And his throne

And great authority

One of its heads

Seemed to have

A mortal wound

But its mortal wound

Was healed

And the whole earth

Marveled

As they followed

The beast

And they worshipped

The dragon

For he had given

His authority

To the beast

And they worshipped

The beast

Saying

Who is like the beast

And who can fight

Against it

And the beast

Was given a mouth

Uttering haughty

And blasphemous words

And it was allowed

To exercise authority

For forty-two months

It opened its mouth

To utter blasphemies

Against God

Blaspheming his name

And his dwelling

That is those

Who dwell in heaven

Also it was allowed

To make war

On the saints

And to conquer them

And authority

Was given it

Over every tribe

And people

And language

And nation

And all who dwell

On the earth

Will worship it

Everyone whose name

Has not been written

Before the foundation

Of the world

In the book of life

Of the lamb

That was slain

If anyone has an ear

Let him hear

If anyone is to be

Taken captive

To captivity he goes

If anyone is to be

Slain with the sword

With the sword

Must he be slain

Here is a call

For the endurance

And faith of the saints

Then I saw another beast

Rising out of the earth

It had two horns

Like a lamb

And it spoke like a dragon

It exercises all the authority

Of the first beast

In its presence

And makes the earth

And its inhabitants

Worship the first beast

Whose mortal wounds

Was allowed to give breath

To the image of the beast

So that the image

Of the beast

Might even speak

And might cause those

Who would not worship

The image of the beast

To be slain

Also it causes all

Both small and great

Both rich and poor

Both free and slave

To be marked

On the right hand

Of the forehead

So that no one can buy

Or sell

Unless it has the mark

Unless he has the mark

That is the name

Of the beast

Or the number

Of its name

This calls for wisdom

Let the one

Who has understanding

Calculate the number

Of the beast

For it is the number

Of a man

And his number is

Six

Six

Six

And this is God's word

So what do we do

With this

Well today I want

To take a classic

Bible study approach

To this

We're going to explain it

What does it actually say

And then we're going

To interpret it

What does it mean

What does it mean

For us

And then we're going

To respond to it

How do we then

Respond to the truth

Of this passage

So if you're taking

Your notes

There's our outline

First we're just

Going to explain it

And we're going

To start

There are two beasts

That are obviously

They dominate this chapter

Right

Two beasts

Are the central images

And what are they

Well clearly they are

Agents of the dragon

They are like him

They have horns

They have crowns

They

For the first beast

The second beast

Speaks

As if he were dragon

They come with power

And authority

Again we see the authority

Given to the first beast

By the dragon

His authority

His thrones

His power

The second one

Shows power

By doing miraculous things

These miraculous things

Are a part of the wonder

Of these beasts

You know it's fascinating

Because beast seems

To be a negative image

And yet what we see here

Is that people marvel at

And flock to

And end up following these beasts

Partly why

Because they're doing miracles

The first beast

Has a wound

That should have killed it

And yet it lived

And the second beast

Performed signs and wonders

Using imagery

That we might have pulled

From the Old Testament

When in

First Kings 18

Elijah calls

They come with this

This massive

Powerful image

Of

That's calling the world

To respond to them

Now

You're here

And what you see in Daniel

Is that

These are actually

Representative

Of governments

And political powers

They're kings

And kingdoms

That will rise up

Against God

And his kingdom

In the world

The final thing

We need to explain here

Is the number

Because everybody

Knows this number

Right

And you know

In the last couple of years

People have wondered

You know

Is getting a vaccine

The mark of the beast

Or is using a tap card

On our credit card

The mark of the beast

Or

There are all these

Different ways

In which we've wondered

Well I'll tell you what

When we talk to

Bible study

Bible commentators

About what the number

666 is

They don't know

They have a lot

Of really creative ideas

There's this whole thing

Called gemetria

Where you

Take letters

And you line them up

With the numbers

In the alphabet

So A is 1

And B is 2

And then you add them together

And if you put

Nero Caesar

Transliterated from Greek

Into Hebrew

In just the right way

You might get to 666

And

The most compelling

Argument

That I found

Is that we have

Seen numbers

In the book of Revelation

Be symbolic of things

Throughout the whole book

And we know

That the number 7

Is the number of perfection

Or completeness

Or fulfillment

And so the number 666

Is the not quite number

And it's repeated

Three times

It is the

Counterfeit number

This is almost like

The perfection of God

But not quite

And this idea

Of counterfeit

Is not something

That I just made up

As we look

Through this passage

In fact

What you see

Is this beast

In its compelling

Nature and power

Is like

Christ

And the Holy Spirit

The first beast

Is like Christ

Think about

What we know

About Jesus

He said

All authority

Has been

In heaven

And on earth

Has been given

To me

Therefore go

And preach the gospel

The first beast

Is given authority

And power

By the dragon

Right

Jesus rises

From the dead

And says to Thomas

Put your hand

In the wound

In my side

The mortal wound

That should have

Killed me

Put it in my hands

And feet

And the dragon

Comes and says

I have a mortal wound

Too

And it's

Been healed

The counterfeit

So that we might

Be led astray

Into false worship

This of course

Is a pattern

That we know

Is throughout

The Bible

Romans 1

25

Talks about this

We exchange

The truth of God

For a lie

And worship

And serve

The creator

The creature

Rather than the creator

Who is blessed

So

What is this imagery about?

It's about these beasts

Who come like

Counterfeit saviors

Counterfeit gods

That promise

Power

And victory

And success

And salvation

But who are not

The true

And living God

And this whole vision

Seems to be given

So that

The church

Might be prepared

To see it clearly

And to respond

With perseverance

This is what verse 10

Is about

You may have wondered

It was kind of a weird

Interlude

Right?

It's this

Look with me

In verse 10

Right?

If anyone has

Here

Let him hear

Oh

That if anyone

Is taken captive

To captivity

He will go

And if anyone

Is slain

With the sword

With the sword

Must he be slain

Here's a call

For the endurance

And faith

Of the saints

In the face

Of these beasts

Knowing what

They're gonna do

For true Christians

To stand firm

In believing

And following Jesus

They will suffer

These things

They will go

To captivity

They will go

To death

And the call

Is to persevere

Through that

Because there is

A greater hope

On the other side

That we see

In verse 9

We'll talk about

This at the end

But those

Whose names

Are written

In the Lamb's

Book of life

The Lamb who

Was slain

For us

Even if we die

Persevering

In faith in him

Yet we will live

Because of that

And so this is

The purpose

That God gives us

For this

Passage

This is

Smorgasbord of images

What do we do

With it

Well

If you were

At our Sunday school

A couple weeks ago

This is gonna be

A review

There are lots

Of different ways

That people

Have interpreted it

There are four

Schools of thought

Throughout the church

One of them

Is fairly patently

Not true

Because they tried

To identify

The beast

With particular people

Along the way

In history

And so

You know

Charlemagne

Might have been

The beast

Well he wasn't

Because it wasn't

The end after him

So whatever it was

We know that can't be it

Right

And so

But there are three others

That are worth

Worth considering

One is called

The preterist

Which sees

These as images

That would be fulfilled

In the first century

So this is all about

The Roman Empire

Christians facing

The Roman Empire

And the challenges

That they face

And the beast

Might be

Nero

Or Domitian

Or Diocletian

It might be

Addressed

Ready

If this might come

Right

If you're familiar

With Hal Lindsay

In the late great

Planet Earth

Or

Tim LaHaye

Jerry Jenkins

In The Left Behind

This is their take

Right

So Nicholas Carpathia

Is the beast

In this

In this image

If you're familiar

With that

The third school

Of thought

Is called

The idealist thought

That says

These images

Are giving pictures

Or seem to describe

Some stuff

In the first century

And they do seem to

We do think

That there is a growing

Or a trajectory

Where at the end

It will get worse

And there may very well

Be a particular

Beast

Or antichrist

And we'll get to that

In a minute

There may be

Something in the future

That we'll get to

But even now

We see that

These things are going

Going on

That these dynamics

Are true

In the life

Of the church

In the world

So we don't have

To choose

And say

But we can say

The beast

Have expressed themselves

In Rome

They are expressing

Themselves

In our world today

And they will express

Themselves

In the future

And this is

This is

Consistent

With what we see

In other parts

Of the New Testament

In particular

Where it talks about

What happens

In the future

Josh is going

To help me

Given our time

We're not going

To read all

Of these passages

But when Jesus

Talks about the future

And the coming

When the disciples

Say tell us

When will these things

Be and what will be

The sign of your coming

At the end of the age

Right

Matthew 24

He says

Many will come

Not just one

But many will come

In my name

Saying I am the Christ

In verse 5

And then in verse 11

He'll say

Many false prophets

Will arise

So Jesus is saying

Look

You're going to see

This over and over again

Right

And then it says

But at the end

There will be

An end to this

And

The one who endures

To the end

Will be saved

Paul

In 2nd Thessalonians

Chapter 2

Talks about

A figure called

The man of lawlessness

And he takes his seat

In the temple of God

Proclaiming himself

To be God

That is the very nature

Of the counterfeit

That we see

Right

And it seems to be

An individual here

But then in verse 7

It talks about

The mystery of lawlessness

That is already at work

So we see the ongoing nature

And yet maybe

A future person

Who will embody this

In its fullness

1st John

Talks about this

If you remember

When we preached

The 1st John

Tyler did a great job

With this

The antichrist

Is coming

But I tell you now

Many antichrists

Have come

And then in verse 22

Here

This is the antichrist

He who denies

The father and the son

So is it one

Or is it both

Well

The New testament image

Is that

These both

These are both true

So if you're wondering

Why we take this

Interpretive approach

Why we do it this way

It's because we think

The new testament

Actually gives us

A complex picture

But are ultimately

Leading us to destruction

I was actually struck

By what John

Was talking about earlier

With regard to the enlightenment

Because

Good heavens

The enlightenment

Was an intellectual movement

That gripped the western world

And maybe the whole world

For hundreds of years

Exalting human reason

And logic

And understanding

To such a height

And it had a promise

Of a

It presented a promise

Of progress

Of success

Of utopia

Of fulfillment

And it was beastly

For those underneath it

Because it was the enlightenment

That produced things

Like the french revolution

So we can

Yale university

Opened up

Mental health

Sites

To care for

Advocate for positions

We can support candidates

But let us

Never ever

Confuse them

Or let them

Take a counterfeit role

That God means

To have in our lives

Alone

In the person

And work

Of Jesus Christ

Katie and I

Were talking about this

The other day

And she said

You know

One of the things

That's scary

Is that

The church

Can be the most

Gullible

And vulnerable

To this

Because we come

To everything

With religious fervor

But we need

To make sure

That our religious

Worship is clear

So that

As we live out

Our lives

For Christ

And for his kingdom

We do so

In a way

That makes Christ

The center

Of all that we do

And friends

We do need to

Recognize as well

My time is short

So

But I just want

To recognize

That deceit

That it's not

Just things

Out there

Because the church

Itself is constantly

Under attack

The false prophet

The second beast

Comes

And as you look

Ahead in Revelation

In chapter 17

You will see

That there's this

Unholy trinity

Of the dragon

The first beast

And the second beast

Who is then later

Called the false prophet

And we know

That there are

Dynamics within

Our church

Even today

We know

That there is

Such a desire

In the western world

And even

Throughout the whole world

Where the gospel

Doesn't become

The gospel

Of Jesus Christ

This is why

Cults are so

Attractive

Because they tell you

You must do

These things

And then you're okay

And the gospel

Of grace

Is that we will

Never be good enough

And that only

By the blood

Of Jesus

Shed for us

And our coming

Trains people

To no counterfeits

Do you know

What they do?

They give them

The real thing

And they make them

Study it carefully

And they look

At the ink

And they feel

The paper

And they look

At the design

And they notice

The watermarks

And there are

All these different

Tests that they use

But they give them

The real thing

And then when

They start to give them

The real thing

Mixed in with

Counterfeits

They kind of know

Even when they don't

Even when they can't

Tell you exactly

What it is

They go

Yeah this doesn't

Feel right

And then they look

At it

And they can find

Why it's

Why it's a counterfeit

Friends

This is how we

Respond to this

Chapter of the Bible

We need to look

To Jesus

We need to know

Him so well

That we won't

Get drawn away

By the counterfeits

That our world

Seduces us with

By the counterfeits

That our church

Falls into

In false teaching

We know

At the end

That Jesus

Will win

In Revelation

19-20

These

The beast

And the false prophet

They are judged

By the one

Who comes

Riding on a white horse

And they're cast

Into a lake of fire

And they will be destroyed

And the counterfeit

Will be shown

For what it is

In verse 20

In chapter 20

Verse 10

The dragon

Will likely be cast

Into the same

Lake of fire

These counterfeits

Will not last

And if we put

Our hope in them

There

They will destroy us

But instead

Let us

Set our hearts

And our minds

On the Lamb

Who was slain

I want to close

By just

Reminding us

Of what Scripture

Tells us

Jesus

Born of all creation

For by Him

All things were created

In heaven

And on earth

Visible and invisible

Whether thrones

Or dominions

Or rulers

Or authorities

All things were created

Through Him

And for Him

And He is before

All things

And in Him

All things hold together

And He is the head

Of the body

The church

He is the beginning

The firstborn

From the dead

That in everything

He might be preeminent

For in Him

All the fullness

Of God

Was pleased to dwell

And through Him

To reconcile

To Himself

All things

Whether on earth

Or in heaven

Making peace

By the blood

Of His cross

And in Philippians 2

Paul reminds us

That though He was

In the form of God

He did not count

Equality with God

A thing to be grasped

But emptied Himself

Taking the form

Of a servant

Being born

In the likeness of men

And being found

In human form

He humbled Himself

By becoming obedient

To the point of death

Even death

On a cross

Therefore God

Has highly exalted Him

And bestowed on Him

The name that is above

Every name

So that at the name

Of Jesus

Every knee should bow

In heaven

And on earth

And under the earth

And every tongue

Confess

That Jesus Christ

Is Lord

To the glory of God

The Father

Friends

Here's the thing

I want you to see

In both of these passages

Do you know

What is unique

About the glory

Of Jesus

He died for us

He laid down His life

He didn't take His power

And impose it on people

He didn't force

But He came

And He loved

And He laid down

His life for us

One of the ways

We know

That there's a counterfeit

Is when it says

You can either

Wield your power

Without any restraint

Or you can have it all

Without any cost

Because neither of those

Are the gospel

And my friends

We need to gird ourselves up

But if we see Jesus

If we know

How great He is

Then no matter how hard

That storm will be

We will persevere

And we will be those

Whose names are written

In the Lamb's book of life

The Lamb who was slain

Let's pray

Lord we thank you

That you are a great God

And a great Savior

And Lord we ask for your help

For we are wayward

And our hearts do so often turn

Lord we are deceived

Lord save us from this

And by your spirit

Give us discernment

So that our loyalty

And our worship to you

Would be full

We pray this in Jesus name

Amen

Well friends

As we close our service

As the music team comes up

We're going to sing a song

Oh Lord

A fount of perfect wisdom

My eye is good

Am I unending need

Faithfulness

My refuge in the night

O Lord

My rock

My redeemer

Gracious Savior

Of my ruined life

My guilt

And cross

Laid on your shoulders

But in my place

You suffered blood

And died

You rose

The grave

And death

Are conquered

You broke

My bonds

To sin

And shame

You rose

You rose

Now gave

And death

I conquered

You broke

My bonds

To sin

And shame

Oh Lord

My rock

And my redeemer

May all my days

Bring glory

To your name

May all my days

Bring glory

To your name

Friends

Thank you for joining us

For worship

We hope you'll stick around

For fellowship

There's coffee downstairs

Don't forget next week

Trinity 101

We'd love to have you join us

Please sign up if you can

And I think

That's the end

So let me send you out

With a benediction

Now to him

Who is able to keep you

From stumbling

And to present you blameless

Before

With a benediction

To don't forget

To don't slip

Into wash

And Ral�ah

Don't

vs

Tik

Not

Pas

I thought you were going back to birth school.