A Preview of Our Final Victory | The Lamb & 144,000 | Revelation 14:1-5 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Revelation Bible Study Series)

It really is amazing to think that you and I, for the past few

months and hopefully in the months to come, are looking at a

book that predicts the future. Just think about that.

We're looking at God's claims and his predictions and his

foreshadowings of what is yet to come.

That that thought alone is mind boggling.

And we will continue to do that today as we come now to the Book

of Revelation and open up chapter 14.

Please meet me there in Revelation chapter 14.

Revelation 14 · chapter mention

We have spent three Sundays in chapter 13 alone.

And if you've been with us, then I'm sure that you would agree

that what is presented in that chapter is quite weighty and

sobering in terms of prophecy. And if we're not careful, we can

easily allow the truths in it to instill distress and angst as we

consider the condition of the world as it approaches its end.

I mean, to think that one single man will have success in

deceiving the nation's to become a concentration camp on a global

scale is alarming. But thanks be to God that

Revelation chapter 13 is not the final chapter of this book.

Revelation 13 · chapter mention

As we come to this new chapter, you'll realize that the very

introduction is presented in a way that quickly extinguishes

any fear or any kind of misconceptions that the visions

presented before concerning the two beasts might have created.

And the way this new chapter does that is by giving us a

preview, a trailer of the reign of Christ and the triumph of the

Saints with Him. But before we look at these

things in greater detail, we have to remember that although

the Book of Revelation is framed chronologically, it does not

follow a rigid linear sequence of events like many other books,

especially the prophetic ones. Sometimes the author, led by the

Holy Spirit, steps in and out of the timeline in order to convey

a message or present a theme. So there are moments where

sometimes you're reading prophetic literature and it

seems like things are unfolding in order and all of a sudden in

the next scene, you're taken back to the past or it fast

forwards again to the future. Because there's something that

you and I need to be aware of that's coming ahead in order to

clarify something that we are engaging with in the moment.

And that's exactly what Revelation 14 is all about.

John is giving us a glimpse of Christ, his Kingdom, his reign,

his people, his victory, in order to encourage his people

today in order to speak to us at this point.

They have not yet been realized in the prophetic timeline of

Revelation, but he reaches ahead and brings it to this juncture

in order, you and I to be reminded, oh, it's not going to

end with the reign of the Antichrist.

He's not going to have the final say.

He's not going to have total and lasting victory.

Let's not forget that the horrible events of Revelation

Revelation 13 · chapter mention

chapter 13 take place within 3 1/2 years in that time span,

because Revelation 13 five says that the beast will exercise

authority for 42 months. But what we're going to see now,

as we read these first few verses is the end of the Great

Tribulation. We got a taste of what's going

to happen in the latter portion of it in Revelation 13.

And now in these opening words, we're going to see what's going

to take place at the consummation, at the completion,

at the end. And it will replace any dread,

any concern, any fear, with thrill and with hope.

Let's look at the first 5 verses together.

Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and

with them 144,000 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 harpist playing on their harps, 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 144,000 who had been

redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled

themselves with women, for they are virgins.

It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.

These have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God

and the Lamb. And in their mouth no lie was

found, for they are blameless. Let's pray together, Lord.

We can feel the force of these verses just by reading them, but

we pray for greater power as we understand it through

explanation and proclamation. We pray, Lord, that we would

become like this group that we're about to read about who

followed wherever the Lamb went. We want to follow wherever the

Lamb goes. And we pray that you would use

this message to inspire us to live with that ultimate

ambition. We pray these things in the name

of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

So if you remember, one of the outcomes that are difficult to

come to terms with regarding the global reign of the Antichrist

is that he will be allowed to make war on the Saints and to

conquer them. That's what we find in verse 7

of Revelation 13. And we left a question then, to

what extent will the Antichrist have domination over the people

of God? And what this chapter shows us

is that as impressive as the Antichrist empire might be, he

will not have complete victory. He will not be able to totally

annihilate Christian witness, the light of the gospel in that

dark hour of human history, the darkest hour.

And one way that this is demonstrated is by the Holy

Spirit reintroducing to us the 144,000.

We remember them, right? We learn about them back in

Chapter 7. They describe a select group of

Jewish believers who were saved early in the Tribulation period.

And because they were saved early, God took steps in order

to safeguard them from the troubles and the judgments that

would come ahead because they would be set apart to serve a

particular purpose on the earth, very likely to be a witness to

the rest of the nation of Israel and to the world.

Go to Chapter 7 and let's see what God did for this group of

people in order to protect them ahead.

Revelation Chapter 7, verse 2 and 3.

Revelation 7:2

John says, Then I saw another Angel ascending from the rising

of the sun with the seal of the living God, and he called with a

loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm

earth and sea, saying, Do not harm the earth or the sea or the

trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their

foreheads. Then he goes on to describe the

144,012 thousand from distinct tribes of Israel.

Now whatever the seal was, whatever the seal will be, we

know for certain that it is meant to shield this group of

people, that they would be untouched specifically by the

judgments of God that would be unleashed from this point

forward. And this tells us something

significant because we read about them in Chapter 7, they

reappear in chapter 14. And what do we discover about

the 144,000? If Chapter 7 was about them

early in the tribulation, being saved, being sealed so that they

would be protected. Now we come to chapter 14 and

we're looking at the end of the tribulation.

What do we discover? Not one of them was lost, not

one. With all the tribulation, with

all the tragedies, with all the trauma, God did not lose a

single one of them. It doesn't say that there were

139,999 standing on Mount Zion. 144,000 You know what that tells

me? Whomever God seals, he secures.

That's what that tells me. And if you think, well, this has

to be some special privilege for this distinct group of people in

the future, you're dead wrong. May I remind you of the promise

in Ephesians 1? You know this very well.

Just sit back and hear it again because it's your inheritance.

Ephesians one, verse 13 to 14 in him.

Oh, Paul loves to use that in him.

He wants to talk about what it's like to be in Christ.

Listen what he says at this point in him.

You also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of

your salvation and believed in him.

So pause. If you heard the pure gospel and

if you believed in him and believed in that message, this

is your inheritance. What is it?

We're sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

How do I feel the seal? Whether you feel it or not

doesn't matter. It's by faith you were sealed

with the promised Holy Spirit. To what end?

Verse 14. Who is the guarantee of our

inheritance? You know what that word means?

Down payment. Who is the guarantee of our

inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise

of His glory. On my way here, or earlier this

morning rather, my mind went to the words of Jesus in John

John 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6 when He defined what the will of God was for Him and

His mission. Listen to John 6 verse 39.

John 6:39

And this is the will of him who sent me.

Let me ask you this, if you were to explain to somebody, hey,

what's what was the will of God the Father for Jesus Christ his

Son as He came to the earth, what would you say to die on the

cross for our sins? Surely that's the safest answer.

That's the most glorious answer, but it's more than that.

He goes on to say that I should lose nothing of all that He has

given me, but raise it up on the last day.

You understand this? Christ didn't just come to save

us, He came to secure us. Which means if you are His, you

will be raised on the last day. He won't overlook any single one

of us. He won't forget any one of us.

He has you and your name in mind up to that final moment when all

things will be made new, including yourself.

He will not lose 1. He did not lose 1.

And if it was true for them, surely it is true for us.

Now with many parts, like with many parts of the Book of

Revelation, there is some debate about the verses that we read

primarily with the location of the vision that John is

experiencing. Before we read about the Lamb

and the 144,000 he mentions how they stood on Mount Zion.

Now many believe that John here is seeing a vision of heaven,

and they equate Mount Zion here with what you read in Hebrews

Hebrews 12:22

chapter 12, verse 22, where Mount Zion is a reference for

heaven, a component of the spiritual heavenly realm.

So they make that automatic connection.

But there are two reasons why Mount Zion can't mean heaven in

this instance #1 if the scene was in heaven, then that would

imply that the 144,000 died and went there.

But then that would put into question the seal that they

received back in Chapter 7, and it might even call into question

God's protective power. Moreover, look at the language

in the beginning here at verse 2, where John says, and I heard

a voice from heaven. Again, this suggests that he's

not in heaven in this vision. He's on the earth and he's

hearing something from above. He's hearing something in a

parallel world. It's from heaven.

He's not in heaven. So if Mount Zion here does not

speak about the dwelling place of God above, then what does it

refer to? And if you were there yesterday,

then you're going to hear it again.

This is where the Old Testament helps us illustrate and

understand passages in the new over and over again.

The prophets of old when proclaiming what Messiah would

accomplish, the Savior, the Anointed 1 frequently what is

brought up is that part of his victorious arrival is that He

will rule and reign from physical Jerusalem, that He will

establish His headquarters on where Mount Zion.

So listen to these words. I'm going to just quote 3

passages. There are many, but listen to

these notable ones. I mean, how can you miss Psalm

Psalms 2:6

chapter 2 verse 6? As for me, I've set my king on

Zion, my holy hill. Isaiah 2421 and 23 On that day

the Lord will punish the host of heaven in heaven and the kings

of the earth On the earth they'll be gathered together as

prisoners in a pit. They'll be shut up in a prison,

and after many days they shall or they will be punished.

Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed.

For the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and

his glory will be before his elders.

If it wasn't clear, listen to the words of Micah.

Micah chapter 4, verse six to seven in that day.

Micah 4 · chapter mention

Notice they're speaking about the day to come.

In that day, declares the Lord, I will assemble the lame, and

gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I've

afflicted, and the lame I will make the remnant and those who

are cast off a strong nation, and the Lord will reign over

them. Where?

In Mount Zion, from this time forth and forevermore.

Is there any wonder why there's so much contention around that

piece of real estate even now? You think this is political?

We're a spiritual people, and the Bible tells us that there is

good and evil, the Kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of

light. There's a spiritual battle going

on, and we see it here. Jesus Christ, the risen Savior,

has his eyes on Jerusalem because he's going to rule from

there. Whether you like it or not, He

will. And what John is seeing here is

a fast forwarded vision. He is seeing a preview again of

how Christ will fulfill those very prophecies.

What do we learn from this? John is completely consistent

with the Old Testament. He's in concert with these

prophecies and he's giving us a preview of the same truth.

And the reason it's mentioned at this point is to remind us again

that the empire of the Antichrist will not adore.

It will be overthrown. There will come a time when

Christ descends and put an end to all these things, and He will

establish His millennial reign for 1000 years.

But the sight of the millennial reign is not the only thing that

captivates John. He goes from seeing the Lamb

with the 144,000 standing with him on Mount Zion to a sound.

He hears something. And what is it that he hears?

We'll look again at verse 2 and 3, 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 harps, and they were

singing a new song before the throne and before the four

living creatures and before the elders.

So as he has this vision that's so clear and so consistent with

the Old Testament especially, the next thing that catches his

attention is this swelling sound from heaven.

There is this overflowing praise from above that's spilling unto

the earth, because now heaven and earth is seeing Christ

ruling and reigning. Now the manifestation of His

Kingdom has arrived, and all of heaven rejoices because of it.

And it makes you wonder whether in the millennial reign, at the

end of the Tribulation, when Christ does descend and rule for

that period of time, if there will be some kind of awareness

or special connection between heaven and earth.

It's one thing to just think about, I think.

And as tempting as it is to explore that further, there is

something else that really stands out in this passage.

Not only that John hears this song, but he realizes that there

is a select group who alone can learn it and sing it with them.

So it's not this corporate thing where everybody is involved.

Yes, all of heaven is rejoicing, but on earth there's only one

group who participates. Look again at the last part of

verse 3. No one could learn that song

except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

You know, at face value, your first reaction might be that's

not fair. Why am I restricted from

learning this melody and learning these lyrics?

And I think we have the answer at the very last part of the

last statement there in verse three.

Look at it again, who had been redeemed from the earth?

Now again, at first, that may be a description that includes

anybody who's been saved by Christ, right?

I've been redeemed from the earth.

I'm delivered. I'm no longer a part of this

world and its system. So.

So isn't this for me as well? Well, the meaning of that

phrase, according to the context, is not exactly that.

More accurately, this is a more specific redemption that John is

conveying. Again, it's the 144,000 who had

been redeemed from the earth, meaning that what John is

describing is the preservation and the ultimate deliverance of

this group during the Great Tribulation.

It's their own unique deliverance, their own unique

salvation, not the salvation that we can partake in, but a

salvation from the horrors and the terrors of the Tribulation

period. In other words, the privilege of

this participation is the outcome of the testimony of the

144,000 who endured much during that period of time as God's

faithful servants. And so they are singing in great

part from their experience, and that's why they alone can sing

it now. It's making a little bit more

sense. And the lesson from this, when

that is unlocked, is so moving. And I really do pray that it

blesses you as it blessed me. All the pain, all the suffering,

all the anguish, all the loss, all the betrayal, all the doubt,

all the fear, all the loss that you and I encounter in this

life, especially those that we believe to be uniquely ours.

Like nobody else is going through what I'm going through.

Nobody knows the feelings that I'm feeling.

You know what I get from this verse?

All of that will one day become something you sing about.

That's what we see here. Yeah.

You have to understand they were sealed.

But they weren't completely sheltered from all the

nightmarish realities of the Tribulation period.

There's some debate to what extent they were sealed from.

I'm not going to get into that. But what is clear here is that

they are singing on the other side of their sorrow.

They are singing from the place of being totally redeemed and

realizing that God was faithful to us in these past years of the

most scrutinizing and horrible moments of human history.

Now, the Bible does teach us that there are songs that we can

and should sing in the midst of our tribulation, right?

You see with Paul and Silas where they're shackled in the

jail in Philippi and they're singing hymns.

But the Bible also does teach us that there's a song that awaits

us on the other side of suffering, that there are

special lyrics and a special tune when all things are said

and done. And in this case the 144,000

have their own song. But all surely we will be able

to to rejoice when every kind of suffering imaginable is subdued

by the Lamb. And you and I for endless days

will be outside of its reach. If you are heavy laden today, if

you are hanging by a thread, if you're in Christ, one day you'll

sing about it. Well, let's continue to read

here what we find in Revelation 14.

In verse 4 it says it is these who have not defiled themselves

with 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. So again, all of this is meant

to encourage the reader. Just coming out of Revelation

Revelation 13 · chapter mention

chapter 13, Christ will defeat the Antichrist.

Every sorrow and sin will be placed with a heavenly song.

And no matter how much evil seems to gain control of this

world, Christ will stand on Mount Zion.

And so it's looking ahead. And yet, before we move on to

the next section, which we won't touch on today, something

special is added. We go from seeing the 144,000.

Not one is lost, and every single one of them are singing

on Mount Zion with the Lamb. But then we receive a

description of their character and their convictions.

Three times John says it is these, it is these, it is these.

He wants us to know something about them even before we see

them on Mount Zion triumphant. Why is he doing that?

I believe in great part to show us that there was a measure of

victory that was displayed even during the great Tribulation,

that although Christians were haunted and they were killed and

they were massacred, John wants to let us know, let us know that

this 144,000 lived a certain way during that time and that

demonstrated a level of victory. And here's here's what this

means for us. These details, if we look at

them carefully, teaches us something about how you and I

can overcome the spirit of the Antichrist today.

I firmly believe that because again, we have to be reminded of

this, we're looking ahead. But the spirit of this wicked

tyrant, the Bible tells us, is still an operation.

It always has been since the days of Christ manipulating and

perverting and influencing and infiltrating.

And this is will be the climax where that spirit now takes

flesh and blood and does what it wants for a period of time.

So I'm looking at these verses of what the 144,000 were like.

These were, these were, these were, these are.

And I think to myself, OK, I'm sure that there is something

here for me to be able to display some level of victory

with all the garbage that's around us today.

There are three things that stand out, three things that we

have to consider. The first thing that's

highlighted is their sexual purity.

Do you and I want to overcome the spirit of the Antichrist,

all the temptation and filth that he projects and pollutes

with? Well, I see how the 144,000 were

able to. It says here in verse four that

it is these who have been, who have not been defiled or have

not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins.

You know, when we think about the Tribulation period, most

people limit the darkness of that time to the disasters that

will break out, to the wars that will cause calamity and

devastation. But you and I also have to

remember that with every kind of upheaval in that generation,

there will be new levels of darkness in terms of sin, in

terms of temptation, in terms of perversion.

Think about it. You have the Antichrist ruling

and reigning. Don't make the mistake in

thinking that people will be so preoccupied with their daily

survival that they're going to stop sinning or sin less.

In case you don't believe me, scroll back to Revelation 9 to

be reminded of some of the things that will take place in

the most turbulent moments that we have ever known.

Revelation 9, verse 21. The Lord makes us remark.

Revelation 9:21

Nor did they repent of their murders.

People are going to be murdering during this time, or their

sorceries. There's going to be people

practicing witchcraft during this time, or their sexual

immorality, or their thefts. It shouldn't be too difficult to

grasp that there will be new levels of indecency and lewdness

that will be practiced and promoted in these final years.

But even with this heightened temptation and allurements and

lusts, apparently the 144,000. Will not.

Defile themselves and probably the most difficult place to

remain pure. And that's our sexuality.

That's John's evidences in verse 4.

Now there's debate about this. Is this talking about a

spiritual purity, a spiritual virginity?

And the reason why there's debate about that is because it

seems as though John is condemning sexual relations even

within the confines of marriage, right?

Because he says they didn't defile themselves with women,

which might be clue that this 144,000 are predominantly men.

Again, that's debated. No, it's really more spiritual.

OK, let's go, let's go with the more literal here and see how

it's possible. And that they are virgins.

So more than just men, perhaps they they don't ever get

married. So in order to avoid perhaps a

condemnation towards marriage itself, people like to say that

this is more about a spiritual purity and spiritual chastity.

But hold on, there are many ways that that can be defined.

And is it totally unrealistic for these individuals to

actually be virgins without a condemning marriage?

Again, marriage is not in view here.

What's in view here is that these specific people did not

corrupt themselves sexually. And the Bible even shows us in

different places how in distressing times especially, we

have to prioritize our values and our pursuits as the people

of God. Let me give you one example.

You've probably heard teachings about marriage and relationships

from First Corinthians 7. I've said this before, it's

worth repeating. You have to be extremely careful

how you apply First Corinthians 7.

Why? Because it hinges upon and it

orbits around 1 contextual point.

The Corinthian church was going through something when Paul was

giving those instructions. Listen to what he says in First

1 Corinthians 7:26

Corinthians 7 verse 26. I think that in view of the

present distress, it is good for a person to remain as he is.

Verse 27, are you bound to a wife?

Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife?

Do not seek a wife. You know how they can be

misapplied. So all these surrounding verses

and you're teaching on marriage and then you come to this point

and say don't seek a wife if you can stay single.

That's the most the most spiritual thing you can do.

Hold on. Read verse 26 in light of the

present distress. Whatever the Corinthians were

experiencing, most believe it was intense persecution.

What Paul is saying is, hey, maybe this is not the best time

to look for a wife and plan a wedding.

Your life is in danger. You might have to relocate as a

as a church. You might have to hide for some

time. Do you remember what Jesus said

when he pronounced woes concerning the Tribulation and

the great Tribulation period? How difficult it will be for

families and nursing mothers, let me remind you, in Matthew

2419. And alas, the Lord says, and

alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing

infants in those days. So it's not so strange as a

concept then to read about this 144,000 who chose, recognizing

that they were the first fruits of God's work among the nation

of Israel to say, you know, we understand that we are in the

final moments. Let's remain unmarried and in

their unmarried state, they did not defile themselves with

women. Here's what moved me.

If 144,000 more likely men, we can debate.

Let's just say men for now. We're able to remain undefiled

in the most corrupt era of human history.

Can't you and I remain pure today if it was possible?

Well, they seem a little bit like more like super Christians,

really. Are they less human than you?

They might have a unique seal. Aren't we sealed?

Is the Bible being poetic about purity or is it possible?

That's what I want to know, and here's what I've discovered.

It's possible because the Bible says it's possible.

And here's an illustration of it.

There was a group in the final moments of human history who are

able to remain focused, strong, Worshipful in their sexuality.

And we'll get more to that in a moment.

But we have to look here to the second thing that stands out

about how they were able to demonstrate victory even while

it seemed like the Antichrist had victory.

It's their unreserved devotion. We looked at their sexual

purity, but look now to their unreserved devotion.

In the middle there a verse 4 we read.

It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.

Oh, I want to frame that statement somewhere.

What a remarkable thing to say about anybody.

And you have to remember this is a summary of their devotion in

the Tribulation period. And most of the world at the

latter portion of that period will be following the Antichrist

up all his deception. We'll be betraying all truth.

We'll be worshipping a man. We'll be living in their sin.

We'll be doing all these heinous things.

And while most of the world is headed in One Direction, this

group, according to this verse, are following the Lamb wherever

he goes. Wherever the Lamb says you go,

they went. Whatever the Lamb said you're

going to do, they did. It was a.

Complete commitment to. The cause of Christ when

literally everything around you. There was not one nation you can

escape to. There was no refuge there.

Was no hint here of an America like we know it today according

to Bible prophecy, all nations will be under a spell and there

will be nowhere to hide but this group they're.

Marching to a different drummer. And the fact?

That Christ is referred. Tier, tier to year as a lamb of

all things. A lamb implies that it is his

humility, it is his sacrifice, it is his innocence that's being

imitated by this group. This does make you want to pray

something. It made me want to pray

something. Lord I, and I mean this

sincerely, I would love for it to be said of me that He

followed the Lamb wherever he goes.

So countercultural. That everybody's being swept up

with this trend and they're believing these ideas and

they're falling for this frenzy. But that man.

He has the lamb. Before him at all times.

Make that your prayer. Lord, wherever you go, I want to

go. However you lead, I will follow.

Whatever you want me to do, I will do it.

On a side note, did you? Notice how in that same

statement says here that they've been redeemed from mankind as

first fruits for God and the Lamb.

Now again. There are those who prefer

spiritualizing passages like this, and one of the things that

they like to do with 144,000 is that this is a symbolic number

which identifies the totality of God's people.

And there are many reasons why. That can't be the case, and one

of them is what we find here. If they are speaking about the

sum of the redeemed, why are they mentioned as the first

fruits at this juncture? That's a strange way of speaking

about the totality of something. And again, if we just honor the

literal interpretation of these verses, then we understand that

this 144,000 are Jewish believers and they.

Were saved early in the. Tribulation as a form of pledge,

as the first fruits that's predicting a greater harvest to

come in which God will reap according to Romans 11, all

Israel will be saved So what we find here with this 145,000 is

the beginnings, it's the budding of a greater promise to come and

so even. In this we have yet.

Another layer of encouragement that what God promised centuries

ago, millennials ago, what we find even in the New Testament

has not been forgotten. God will save the people that he

had made a covenant with, with Abraham.

And it's starting here. So it just do you see what's

happening? We're being having encouragement

heaped upon us, heaping of these truths layered.

And there's one more. Thing to consider about this.

Group it is. That they are blameless in.

Their testimony verse 5 And in their mouth no lie was found,

for they are blameless. So in an age of incredible

deception. At a time of.

Propagating all these falsehoods by the Antichrist, there will be

a group of truth tellers. There will be a group that are

going to refreshingly tell you what God's Word says who will

not waver with the true gospel, who will give you exactly what

the Lord has laid out in His eternal Word.

So again, what John is doing here is describing the 144,000

to show us that there is a threat of victory in the

tribulation period. Not just at the end of it.

There is a great victory to come, but even during it there

was this group who didn't lie with their mouths.

And if we want to do our. Part to combat that evil spirit

it seems to. Be more rampant than ever.

The may we be. Truth tellers as.

Well, I have nothing to apologize for with the truth.

I want to be. Faithful with the truth.

I want to be faithful when I sit across a coffee table with a

friend who is justifying sin and to say with love in my eyes, but

this is what God's Word says. I want to say it, God forbid.

Should there ever come a day where there's pressure from

people to conform this church to be something apart from what God

had said to say, but this is what God has said.

There was no lie found. In their mouth, and they were

blameless because of it. And if you're sitting here today

yearning to reflect the purity and the devotion of this group,

I want to give you some good news.

I don't think it's accidental that out of all the things that

could be said of Christ, the title the Lamb appears three

times in this one section. The Lamb, the lamb, the lamb.

Telling us many things and one of the.

Things that encourages me for and about is that again, if I'm

looking at this and I'm saying, oh, I want to I want that same

resume. If I can use that word, that

same portfolio, that same kind of summary of my life, then I

must draw. I must draw from the love of the

lamb. I must realize the the promises

and the empowerment that is available through the sacrifice

of the Lamb I. Must have a fresh revelation.

Of what the Savior has done by becoming a man and laying his

life down like a lamb and trusting that even even in his

humility, even in his innocence, even in his personal sacrifice,

He will empower me to walk in it.

The Lamb and. In God's Providence, we.

Approach the Lord's Table today to be reminded about that facet

of our Messiah that he took on flesh, that he shed his blood

and he was innocently led, took place of sacrifice because He

loves us. He loved us.

Enough to lay his life. Down.

And he loves us enough to promise to keep us until the

end. Let's celebrate that together.

Father, we ask that. You make these truths real to

us. We long to be pure.

We long to be devoted without reservation, we long to be

blameless in our testimony, and we know that none of those

things are available or achievable apart from the

starting point of what you have done as the Lamb of God.

Thank you for those who have put their faith.

In you today, we get to taste again.

That you have saved. Us and you will secure us until

the end. Receive glory from this time of

rejoicing, knowing that not only have you justified us forever,

but that these are the same means by which you can empower

us to imitate and follow the Lamb.

We ask these things in Jesus name.

Amen. Amen.

Let's stand, Let's worship. And let's prepare our hearts.

To eat together.