The Church Will Overcome: Suffering and Persecution as Our Way to Glory

Okay, well good morning from me. My name is Kevin. If you don't know me, I am not going to be preaching today

But I am going to lead us in a time of prayer

So if you are new to watermark, we pray at this time our service each week

And part of the reason for that is we don't just want to come to church and sing a few songs

Listen to a message and go home

The point of why we gather on Sunday is to encounter the living God

That's our goal on Sundays and we do that through song

We do it through looking at His word, but we also do that through prayer

And so this is an important part of our service

I am going to lead us in a time of prayer, but I want to ask you to join me

And so listen to what I am praying for and you agree in your own heart to say yes Lord

That is, I agree with that, I want to pray for that

And then just, I wonder if we can get the slide up, we should have a slide

Okay, I don't know if you can see that picture

These are some new friends of mine

Their names are Mohammed and Damira Nagumanov

Okay, and these guys have planted a church in Kazakhstan

I met them this week in Malaysia

And Mohammed is not because he is Muslim

It's just in Kazakhstan that is a regular name

But Mohammed was, grew up in Kazakhstan

Was part of the Soviet Union, I think chemistry program

Woke up one day, was about to go to Moscow the next day

To join the Soviet Union chemistry program

Woke up that morning and the whole Soviet empire had fallen

This is around like 1990 or so

And his whole world came to an end

He believed that the Soviet empire was God

And so suddenly he realized my whole world has come to an end

That led him to search for Christ

Became a follower of Jesus

And they've been planting this church in Elmati

In Kazakhstan

And so we're going to pray for them as a church

And so won't you join me as we pray together

Let's come before our Father in prayer

Sovereign Lord, Majestic God

We do come before you as a church family this morning

To adore you and to worship you

To lift up your name and to declare your praises

Father, thank you that we can stand firm on the truth

That though the storms of life come

You are sovereign and you are faithful

You are majestic and glorious, God

And even though, as we're going to hear this morning

There is an enemy of ours called Satan

That is going to try and torment the church

But God, we stand on the truth that you are sovereign

That our enemy is a defeated foe

And that you, Christ, rule and reign over all things

Father, thank you for your incredible patience with us

Thank you that you're so long-suffering, God

Father, we do worship you this morning

We think of Psalm 14 that says

How the fool says in his heart

There is no God

And Father, this morning we confess that

Many of us, myself included

We live our lives often, day to day

As if you are not real

As if you are not on the throne

God, even though at our heads we acknowledge you

In our hearts, God, we live foolishly

Looking to ourselves

And Father, we want to confess that this morning

And ask you to

One, forgive us

But two, come and reorientate our hearts back to you

God, we want to live day by day

Reliantly on you, oh God

Trusting in your amazing grace

Father, make us like Proverbs 1 says

Those that fear you

And really live in awe of you

Father, this morning as we come to your word

In Revelation 13 and 14

We pray that you will speak to us

We pray for Justin who will be preaching

We pray God that it won't be his words that speak to us

But your words through your written word

Jesus, we want to encounter you in your word

And so we pray, prepare all of our hearts

To meet with you in your scriptures this morning

God, anything that is not of you

We pray it will fall on deaf ears

And we pray that your word will come alive

God, show us how to respond to your word this morning

Father, this morning we want to also pray for our great city

For Hong Kong

The city in which we live

And God, in the midst of the continued difficulties

And challenges of our cities

We ask you God, won't you show us our own hearts

God, won't you reveal to us

Where our hearts are hoping or trusting in false gods

Rather than you

Father, where there is anger and resentment

Towards one party or another

We pray God, you show us what's in our hearts

What's underlying that anger God

God, we pray that the church

And not only for Watermark

But for other churches

Make us agents of peace and hope in our city

God

Father, we pray for our political leaders

We pray for the police, Lord

We pray for those that are trying to

Restore peace, Lord God, to our city

We pray God for wisdom

We pray for the protesters, God

Those that are so upset about what's going on

And want to make a stand for justice, God

We pray that in all of this

Your peace will prevail, God

We pray that emotions will subside, God

And for peace in the hearts of all

Father, we do pray for our city that we love

And we pray that your kingdom will come here

May it be in Hong Kong as it is in heaven

We pray, God

And then finally, Father

This morning we want to pray for

Our new friends in Kazakhstan

For Mohammed and Demira

God, we pray for them

And the work that they're doing

We pray, God, want you to give them

Increased wisdom

In the midst of increasing government opposition

To the kingdom of God

And the church and the gospel in Kazakhstan

We pray, God, give them amazing wisdom

How to evangelize and witness

How to share your gospel

God, we pray that their church will be strong, Lord

We pray for leaders to emerge, God

And for young leaders to emerge, Lord

We pray, God, that your blessing and your power

Will rest upon their congregation

We pray for new churches to be planted in Kazakhstan, God

We pray that the gospel will go forward there, Lord

We pray that your kingdom will come

We pray that many young Kazakhs will come to know you, God

We pray for church unity in that nation, Lord

That Presbyterians and Pentecostals, Baptists

Everyone across the spectrum will work together

And be unified by their love for you, Jesus

And we pray for their family, God

We pray for their children

And for Muhammad and Damaru's marriage, God

We pray strengthen them and encourage them

Refresh them and revitalize them, we pray

Father, we love to come before you and pray

Thank you that you're such a good and faithful God

You're so faithful, Lord

There's no one and none like you

And we love you, Lord

We pray these things in your wonderful

And your patient

In your sovereign name

Amen

Amen

Great, Jefferson and Annabelle are going to read God's word to us this morning

The scripture reading comes from Revelation chapter 13 to 14

Revelation 13 · chapter mention

Please follow along in your bulletin or on the screen

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 its power and its 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 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 who 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 its book 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 wound was healed

It performs great signs

Even making fire come down from heaven to earth

In front of people

And by the signs that it was allowed

To work in the presence of the beast

It deceived those who dwell on earth

Telling them to make an image for the beast

That was wounded by the sword and yet lived

And it 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

Or the forehead

So that no one can buy or sell

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 666

Then I looked

And behold

On Mount Zion stood the Lamb

And with him

A hundred and forty-four thousand

Who had his name

And his father's name

Written on their foreheads

And I heard a voice from heaven

Like the roar of many waters

And like the sound of loud thunder

The voice I heard

Was like the sound of harpists

Playing on their hearts

And they were singing a new song

Before the throne

And before the four living creatures

And before the elders

No one could learn that song

Except the hundred and forty-four thousand

Who had been redeemed from the earth

It is these who have not

Defiled themselves of women

For they are virgins

It is these who follow the Lamb

Wherever he goes

These have been redeemed from mankind

As firstfruits for God and the Lamb

And in their mouth

No lie was found

For they are blameless

Then I saw another angel

Flying directly overhead

With an eternal gospel

To proclaim to those who dwell on earth

To every nation and tribe

And language and people

And he said that with a loud voice

Fear God

And give him glory

Because the hour of his judgment has come

And worship him

Who made heaven and earth

The sea and the springs of water

Another angel

A second followed

Saying

Fallen

Fallen

Is Babylon the great

She who made all nations

Drink the wine

Of the passion

Of her sexual immorality

And another angel

A third

Followed them

Saying with a loud voice

If anyone worships

The beast and its image

And receives a mark

On his forehead

Or on his head

He also will drink

The wine of God's wrath

Pour full strength

Into the cup of his anger

And he will be tormented

With fire

And sulfur

In the presence

Of the holy angels

And in the presence

Of the Lamb

And the smoke

Of their torment

Goes up forever and ever

And they have no rest

Day or night

These worshippers

Of the beast

And its image

And whoever receives

The mark

Of his name

Here is a call

For the endurance

Of the saints

Those who keep

The commandments

Of God

And their faith

In Jesus

And I heard a voice

From heaven

Saying

Write this

Blessed are the dead

Who die in the Lord

From now on

Blessed indeed

Says the spirit

That they may rest

From their labors

For their deeds

Follow them

Then I looked

And behold

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

And another angel

Came out of the temple

Calling out with a loud voice

To him

Who sat on the cloud

Put in your sickle

And reap

For the hour to reap

Has come

For the harvest

Of the earth

Is fully ripe

So who he sat

On the cloud

Swung his sickle

Across the earth

And the earth

Was reaped

Then another angel

Came out of the temple

In heaven

And he too

Had a sharp sickle

And another angel

Came out from the altar

The angel

Who has authority

Over the fire

And he called

With a loud voice

To the one

Who had the sharp sickle

Put in your sickle

And gather the clusters

From the vine

Of the earth

For its grapes

Are ripe

So the angel

Swung his sickle

Across the earth

And gathered

The grape harvest

Of the earth

And threw it

Into the great

Wine press

Of the wrath of God

And when the wine press

Was trodden

Outside the city

And blood flowed

From the wine press

As high as

A horse's brittle

For one thousand

And six hundred stadia

This is the word of God

Testing, testing

Okay

Thank you Jefferson

And Annabelle

For reading this long passage

In Revelations

Thirteen to fourteen

And I hope the sermon

Wouldn't be as long

So my name is Justin

I have been attending

World of Mark

For since my freshman year

At uni

So I've been attending

Here for six years

If you have been

Coming to church

For a while

And have been attending

The last few services

In our series

Called Between the Cross

And the Throne

You probably have already

Known the term

Already

But not yet

It's a term

We use to describe

The status of God's kingdom

And his plan

And his plan of salvation

Salvation has come

Yet one day

The Savior himself

Will come the second time

To meet us face to face

But we're not there yet

God's kingdom has come

Yet one day

We will bow down

Before his throne

Face to face

Yet we're not there yet

So in this

In between time

Does God

Has a specific plan

For the church

For you and for I

And if I tell you

That God has

A specific plan

And that plan

Involves Christians

Being slandered

Defeated

Crushed

And even killed

What if I tell you

That this path

Of persecution

And suffering

Is not our path

To defeat

But our path

To victory

Our path

To glory

Today

We're going to

Explore some

Very very scary

Image

Of the defeat

Of the church

And yet

At the same time

We're also going to

Explore some

Very glorious

Imagery

Of the church

Together

Together

They form

A narrative

A story

Of the church

Of you and of I

That this narrative

Can be broken down

Into four segments

And we'll look at

Each one of them

Firstly

Satan will conquer

The whole world

Then we'll see

That Satan

Will also crush

The church

But then

We'll see

That the church

Will overcome

By embracing

Suffering and persecution

And lastly

We're going to learn

About a new concept

Called the

Eternal gospel

Which means

That the hour

Of the judgment

Has finally come

But please

Do not leave

The service

Today

Just with these

Words on the screen

Because these

Words alone

Would not have

Any lasting

Impact on you

But the imagery

And the narrative

Will

If you allow

Yourself to be

Captured by them

And I think

That's the reason

Why God

Reviews

Through a vision

To John

Instead of a

PowerPoint

Presentational

Words

So I encourage

You to open

Not just

Your mind

But your heart

To be scared

By the imagery

Of the church

Of the defeat

Of the church

But yet

Let your breath

Be taken away

By the glorious

Imagery of the church

At the same time

So shall we start

So firstly

We're gonna

Last week

We saw

In Revelation 12

The dragon

Meaning Satan

He was defeated

In heaven

And he was

Thrown down

To earth

And Kevin said

In his last breath

He tried to wage

War against

The women

The nation of Israel

However

The woman

Was miraculously

Rescued

And then

Satan

Moves on

To the women's

Offspring

That is us

The church

Is then

In chapter 13

We see how

Satan

Presents

Hisself

To the world

Surprisingly

And unsurprisingly

Satan

Presents

Hisself

As a

Counterfeit

Of God

In other words

He tries to

Imitate God

In drawing

The world

To himself

First

We see

A beast

With ten

Horns

And seven

Heads

Ten

Diadems

On his

Horns

And blasphemous

Names

On his

Heads

John saw

This beast

And describes

It in a

Very

Scary

Terms

He says

It's like

A leopard

With bear's

Feet

And lion's

Mouth

Very powerful

Looking

Isn't it

But then

He goes

On to say

That the beast

Actually had

To receive

Power

Authority

And his

Throne

From the

Dragon

Now does that

Remind you

Of the first

Sentence

Of the

Great

Commission

All authority

In heaven

And on earth

Has been

Given to

Me

God the

Father

Gave his

Power

And his

Authority

And throne

To Jesus

And here

We're seeing

The dragon

Doing exactly

The same

To the beast

Then he says

That one of

The beast

Heads

Seemed to

Have suffered

A mortal

Wound

The passage

Does not tell

Us why

He had

Suffered this

Wound

But we

Know that

That wound

Would have

Led to

This beast

Death

But then

This beast

Was miraculously

Healed

And the

Whole earth

Marvelled

And they're

Going to

Follow the

Beast

Does that

Remind you

Of Jesus

Resurrection

From the

Dead

And the

Church

Follows

Jesus

Because of

It

The beast

By his

Appearance

Of power

And his

Resurrection

From his

Mortal

Wound

Has made

The entire

World

Worship

It

People

From every

Tribe

Language

And nation

All who

Dwell

On earth

Will worship

The beast

Did we

Not read

In revelation

Four

Where john

Saw before

The throne

Of god

People from

All tribes

Nations

And languages

So just

As god's

People

Are from

A diverse

Cultural

And national

Backgrounds

We're going to

See that

Satan has

Also drawn

To himself

The same

Diverse

Group of

People

In another

Word

Not only

Is Satan

Being a

Counterfeit

Of god

He is

Also

Creating

A

Counterfeit

Of the

Church

Then we

See

That the

Whole world

Will say

Probably

In all

Languages

Who is

Like the

Beast

And who

Can fight

Against it

We see

The same

Feeling

Of all

And reverence

In the

Song of

Moses

The song

That the

Israelites

Sang

Right after

They crossed

The Red Sea

And saw

What god

Did

To the

Horses

And chariots

Of egypt

They sang

Who is

Like you

O lord

Among the

Gods

Who is

Like you

Majestic

And holiness

Awesome

And glorious

These

Doing wonders

Now

Satan

Has given

His people

A song

Of victory

A song

Of identity

Just as

God has

Given us

The same

And not

Only

Will people

Worship the

Beast

They will

Also worship

The dragon

Because the

Dragon had

Given his

Authority

To the

Beast

Does that

Remind you

Of us

Worshipping

Both

Jesus

The son

And the

Father

And just

As you

Think

Enough

Is

Enough

There's

Another

Beast

That

Comes

Into

The scene

Unlike

This

Powerful

Looking

First

Beast

The

Second

Beast

Has

Two

Horns

Beast

And it

Says

It

Looks

Like

A

Gentle

And

Harmless

Lamb

Does that

Remind you

Of Jesus

The

Lamb

Of

God

The

Second

Beast

Is able

To perform

Great

Signs

And

Wonders

And

By

Them

The

Second

Beast

Deceives

People

To make

An

Image

Of the

First

Beast

And

Then

He

Gives

Bread

To

This

Image

To

Speak

And

This

Whole

Act

Is

Going

To

Make

The

Whole

World

Worship

The

First

Beast

So

The

Second

Beast

Is

Not

Asking

People

To

Worship

Himself

But

It

Is

Doing

Propaganda

And

Campaign

For

The

First

Beast

Does that

Remind you

Of the

Holy

Spirit

Who

Will

Teach

Us

And

Remind

Us

Of

Everything

That

Jesus

Said

So

All of

A

Sudden

We're

Seeing

A

Evil

Trinity

Of

The

Dragon

The

First

Beast

And

The

Second

Beast

Then

He

Says

Something

Very

Troubling

The

Second

Beast

Causes

Everyone

To

Be

Marked

On

The

Right

Hand

Or

The

Forehead

And

The

Purpose

Of

It

Is

To

Showed

Total

Allegiance

To

The

First

Beast

Does

That

Remind you

Revelation

7

Where

He

Talks

About

God

Sealing

His

Servants

On

Their

Foreheads

Now

Let's

Pause

For

To

Take

In

This

Scary

Imagers

One

Of

The

Beautiful

Things

About

The

Church

Family

Is

That

Regardless

Of

Your

Political

Views

Your

Education

Levels

Your

Economic

Status

You

Are

A

Son

Or

Daughter

Of

God

And

We

Are

Able

To

Love

One

Another

Across

Our

Differences

We're

Able

To

Forge

Unity

In

The

World

Where

Unity

Seems

Impossible

But

Now

Imagine

A

World

That

Is

Fully

United

Regardless

Of

Their

Political

Views

Their

Economic

Status

Their

Educational

Levels

They

Are

United

To

Worship

Satan

Shouting

Who

Is

Like

The

Beast

And

Who

Can

Fight

Against

It

What

A

Scary

World

To

Live

In

And

How

Would

The

Church

Fare

In

Such

A

World

Chapter

13

Tells

Us

That

The

First

Beast

Waged

War

Against

The

Church

It

Conquered

The

Church

By

Power

And

Authority

The

Second

Beast

Caused

The

Church

Unable

To

Buy

Or

Sell

And

Caused

The

Church

To

Be

Slain

Let

Me

Say

Again

The

First

Beast

Waged

War

Against

The

Church

And

Conquered

The

Church

By

Power

And

Authority

The

Second

Beast

Caused

The

Church

Unable

To

Buy

Or

Sell

And

Caused

The

Church

To

Be

Slain

For

For

The

Christians

That

Read

John's

Letter

Revelation

13

Is

Not

Something

That

Lies

In

The

Future

To

Be

Feared

But

It

Was

The

Very

Reality

They

Lived

In

The

Roman

Emperors

All

Like

To

Assume

Titles

Of

Deities

Nero

Caesar

Referred

Himself

On

His

Coins

As

Savior

Of

The

World

It's

Pretty

Much

Like

The

Blasphemous

Names

On

The

Heads

Of

The

First

Beast

In

AD

64

Nero

Started

A

Severe

Persecution

Of

The

Christian

Church

He

Burned

Hundreds

Of

Christians

Alive

And

Then

Murdered

Many

Four

Years

Later

There

Was

A

Revolt

By

One

Of

The

Governors

Against

Nero

And

The

Governor

Took

His

Throne

He

Then

Took

His

Nero

Then

Took

His

Own

Life

But

Many

At

First

Believe

That

This

Evil

Emperor

Nero

Caesar

Was

Only

Faking

His

Own

Death

He

Will

One

Day

Come

Back

To

Rome

To

Take

Back

His

Throne

God

But

As

Time

Time

Time

Time

Time

Time

Time

People

Shifted

To

Believe

That

Nero

Will

One

Day

Actually

Rise

From

Dead

So

In

Many

Ways

Nero

Seems

To

Be

The

First

Beast

Who

Suffered

A

Mortal

Wound

On

One

Of

His

Heads

Only

To

Be

Healed

And

Rise

Again

But

On

The

Other

Hand

The

Christians

In

John's

Time

Must

Have

Felt

That

The

Roman

Emperor

Is

Unbreakable

There

May

Be

Revolutions

Against

The

Empire

Only

To

Be

Crushed

There

May

Be

A

New

Emperor

On

The

Throne

Only

To

Be

As

Evil

And

Any

Mortal

Wound

Will

Be

Healed

And

Imperial

Worship

Will

Grow

Ever

Stronger

For

The

Minority

Christians

Who

Were

Able

To

Escape

This

Physical

Persecution

They

Then

Found

Themselves

Unable

To

Participate

In

The

Economic

System

Of

Rome

The

Reason

Is

Rome

Demands

Sacrifice

To

Emperors

And

In

Order

To

Buy

Or

Sell

Everyone

Must

Obtain

A

Certificate

Of

Sacrifice

To

The

Emperor

And

Without

This

Certificate

Of

Sacrifice

Christians

Were

Forced

To

Commit

Economic

Suicide

And

Suffer

In

Poverty

And

Salvation

So

After

Nero

Then

Emperor

Domitian

When

He

Was

On

Throne

He

Then

Built

His

Own

Statue

That

Is

Nearly

Eight

Metres

High

And

There

Was

A

Legal

Tradition

Of

Executing

Christians

Who

Refused

To

Bow

Down

To

This

Statue

It

Sounds

Sounds

Sounds

Sounds

Sounds

Like

The

Image

Of

The

First

Beast

That

Those

Who

Do

Not

Bow

Down

To

It

Would

Be

Slain

So

How

Is

God

Going

To

Comfort

The

People

At

John's

Time

Time

What

Is

God's

Call

For

Them

In

A

Time

Like

That

I

Remember

At

Law

School

I

Enrolled

In

The

Law

And

Religion

Class

As

A

Christian

I

Was

Very

Passionate

About

Arguing

For

Religious

Freedom

For

Christians

In

The

Workplace

In

The

Public

Sphere

Because

I

Felt

A

Strong

Sense

Of

Injustice

That

Christians

Were

Persecuted

Simply

Because

They

Were

They

Refused

To

Sell

Cakes

Or

Flowers

For

Gay

Wedding

And

I

Was

Hoping

My

Essay

Will

Make

Wake

People

Up

To

Their

Conscience

And

One

Day

They

Will

Join

Me

In

Defending

Religious

Freedom

For

Christians

In

A

Way

I

Believe

That

God's

Call

For

Christians

In

A

Face

Of

Persecution

And

Suffering

I

Believe

The

Only

Way

Is

For

Us

To

Stand

Up

And

Fight

For

Freedom

But

Chapter

13

Verse

10

Presents

A

Totally

Different

Call

A

Call

That

I

Was

Not

Aware

Of

It

Says

If

Anyone

Is

To

Be

Taken

Captive

To

Captivity

He

Goes

If

Anyone

Is

To

Be

Slain

With

A

Sword

With

A

Sword

Must

He

Be

Slain

God

Is

Saying

That

No

Matter

How

Hard

And

How

Smart

We

Fight

Persecution

Persecution

Remains

Inevitable

In

God's

Letter

To

Church

In

Smyrna

God

Says

I

Know

Your

Tribulation

And

Your

Poverty

But

You

Are

Rich

And

The

Slender

Of

Those

Who

Say

That

They

Are

Jews

And

Not

But

A

Sinagal

Of

Satan

Do

Not

Fear

What

You

Are

About

To

Suffer

Behold

The

Devil

Is

About

To

Throw

Some

Of

You

Into

Prison

That

You

May

Be

Tested

And

For

Ten

Days

You

Will

Have

Tribulation

Be

Faithful

Unto

Death

Does

This

Not

Sound

Like

Total

Defeat

Satan

Has

Won

The

Whole

World

Bounced

Down

Before

It

And

Those

Who

Don't

Are

Inevitably

Doomed

So

God

Is

Just