Book of Revelation EPS 1

Chase: Course. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Hello everyone and welcome back to the Point Church Podcast. I'm here with Pastor Sam. We are starting in season two, finally, of our ⁓ of our podcast here. We ⁓ went through the book of Matthew for our Lent series, and now ⁓ if you could see the thing behind us or if you're listening, we're gonna be going into signs of the time. Right. We are taking on the book of Revelation, which is At least in our church and probably your church, or if you don't have a church home on the internet, anywhere you are, the book of the Bible that has the most questions about it, it has the most requests, it's the one that shows up on social media, especially when things get tense. ⁓ I joked with our congregation. Or the book of Amos. It's if anyone's freaking out, it's ⁓ because It's revelation. They think something in the world that's happening is the end of the world. So yeah, they're trying to get that sorted out. Yeah. And so we ⁓ as you can see we have upgraded. We are no longer at ⁓ two chairs and everything. So hopefully this will be a little ⁓ better viewing for you. ⁓ hopefully better listening as well. We're so grateful to be able to do this and really break down ⁓ revelations. As you just said, it is one of the most talked about, debated, argued used book. Mm-hmm. Used and abused. Used and abused. Yeah. Book in the Bible. And so we're really hoping that you can get a lot from this. ⁓ real quick though, ⁓ we're just ⁓ gonna be diving in today into Revelations one, ⁓ chap chapter one, ⁓ verses one through twenty. ⁓ so if you have your Bibles and you want to open it up and look at it, ⁓ we really encourage that. So to start off though, Sam with you know, revelations being what it is, yeah. There is so many questions and people, as you said, use use and abuse it. Mm-hmm. Yep. So I know your first sermon that you gave, ⁓ it was talking about, you know, taking a machete in a jungle and cutting it down. Yes. Is what you have to kind of do to open the lens of revelation. So maybe dive into that a little bit about what you talked about. Yeah. So ⁓ we should say that with this series we are going through to be uploading the sermons and then during the week doing some deeper dives in between. Yep. So we didn't do one last week because I didn't even get into the book until the last part of the sermon because the example I've heard the example I used was even saying the word book of Revelation is enough to cause people to be like, ⁓ yeah. Interesting. ⁓ again, doesn't it get the same response for like we're talking about Second Thessalonians. That does not get the same reaction that the book of Revelation does. So what has really happened is in many ways this book has been very misunderstood. Very very misunderstood. It gets all the ⁓ it gets all the action, it gets all the attention because it's the last book, it's the one that, you know, talks about the end of the world. So people come to this book, they come to the Bible, they come to this letter of Revelation, and they don't do their research of reading the first sixty-five books. They read this one. Yep. And they don't understand it. And I'm not trying to be disparaging, 'cause I've been there too. And they're like, well, I don't know what that means, but it sounds scary. I don't know what that means, but someone told me this is what it means on the internet. And my fear with this was especially with younger generations, that they want to know what's going on. Our world is in a very weird ⁓ place, especially of recent history. Now, the history of the world, this is quite normal. Yeah. War, tribulation, painful things. This is normal in the history of the world. That's what the earth's history is. But if you go back just a few decades in our country, we're not used to this. No. So people are really unsettled. Yeah. So they're turning to church, the Bible, but more often Google, YouTube, and people who are trying to give answers, but also at the same time there are some Grifters out there, people who are not acting in good faith, or they're misinformed as well, and they're just spouting out opinions rather than facts of what this book is saying and not saying. And I I said in the last season, I'll say it again this season. My favorite word to teach the Bible is context. You have to know the context. And so to even get into this last book of the Bible, you have to understand. in many ways what the story's been about. Yeah. For sixty-five books up to this point. It really wouldn't make sense to read the last chapter of East of Eden and be like, I don't get it. That doesn't make any sense to me. Like you wouldn't do that with any other book. So why do we do it with the Bible? So that that was part of it. And so ⁓ what I told the congregation was we have to clear the debris to even begin the path. So what I was trying to cut down in many ways was what the book of Revelation is saying and what the Book of Revelation is not saying. For some this will be review, but again, it's worth repeating 'cause it's just everywhere. Before we dive in. Yep. Yeah. Yep. So it's not a secret code. No. It's not. Like I was like, I'm gonna say it again for it's not a secret code. It's not national treasure. It's not na Yeah, honestly, people think of it like national treasure. Like Like on the back of declaration of independence or whatever, but it's like on the back of the Bible is the truth. Yeah. And but people push that idea because there's that Latin phrase, Qui bono, yeah. Who benefits? Yeah. People benefit by saying they have the secrets to the end of the world. Where Jesus Christ himself said, No one knows the day or the hour, not even the Son, which is him. Only the Father knows. So again When people try and take it and twist it, it makes it do things it's not supposed to do. So the other thing that it is not supposed to be is a way to influence people in unholy ways. Mm-hmm. Again, grifters, yeah, in churches, street corners, wherever, trying to take the word of God, make the word of God do and say things it's not supposed to do, mm-hmm, and then to turn around and say, Give me your money, write a check, do this for our ministry, and you'll be spared. Mm-hmm. It's nonsense. The other thing that ⁓ is a great fear of mine when it comes to people who don't understand what this book is about, is we hear something that sounds good. ⁓ this this is happening, this was predicted in Revelation and Russia's doing this thing, or ⁓ China's doing this move, or this politician shooting up the ranks. ⁓ You know, this eclipse is happening. Yeah. You spout this off into the internet, but you have an audience, not just on the internet, which you do on social media, but you also have an audience in real life. Yes. And when your conversations become filled with this, one, if it doesn't happen, if it doesn't come true, like the world doesn't end, ⁓ you one look kind of foolish. Very much. Yeah. I'm being generous, maybe kind of. But two, then you turn around and say, But you should come to church with me. Yeah. And let's get they're just they're tuned you out. Yeah. They've tuned you out. Yeah. Because oftentimes when we deviate from scripture, we're just speculating. And speculation's very dangerous because we're supposed to be loud where scripture's loud and we're supposed to be quiet where scripture is quiet. Yep. In scripture does not tell us when these events will happen. It tells us a few things, who's in charge. It tells us what will happen, again through context, but it doesn't say that because human beings build a third temple, that's a popular one right now. Yes, very popular. If you build this third temple, then God has to come back. Yep. Do we really truly think theologically that human beings can force God's hand if he's not ready to do it? ⁓ if you do, then you need to read. Yeah. Like God responds to human beings, yes. Yes. But it's not like because we got a construction permit that all of a sudden he's like, ⁓ now I have to ⁓ now I have to get the world back. But you see what I mean? Like if you don't think it through biblically or theologically, logically, it it it sounds good. It sounds good and it's it's hopeful. Like you're doing this because you want Jesus to come back. It's coming from a good place. truly believe that. But when it doesn't happen, one, it's disappointing. Two, it's misleading. But three, it can cause us to do or say things that we wouldn't otherwise do or say. Yeah. So we have to cut down the brush to even begin the journey. So it's not a secret code. No. It's not a way to predict when these things are happening and it shouldn't be used to create fear and unhealthy ⁓ patterns in relationships with especially those who are curious about Jesus. Yeah. Yeah. But they're like, ⁓ if it means I kinda sound like this, I'm not that interested. Yeah. No. So that that that's really why we dove into it. Yeah. And it's ⁓ it's ⁓ I think you'll probably hear the video before this one. ⁓ it piqued a lot of people's interest. Because yeah I think even if you don't necessarily have ⁓ an outward like ⁓ view of revelations or whatever. I think everyone who comes to Christ at some point has this question on revelations. Yes. And so I think you chopping down that 'cause even if you have questions on it and you read it, you'll still have questions. Right. But you know, no one it's kind of like a forbidden like if you hear someone talking about revelations in church like a pastor. Yeah, usually it's a scandalous or they're for their talking point or for this or that. But it's it's it kinda feels like the Bible study that meets at like midnight. Yeah. ⁓ if you're like a super Christian, you can come to the Revelation Bible study at midnight instead of like ⁓ well it's boring at nine in the morning on Tuesday to study Matthew. Yeah. And so ⁓ so I wanted to dive in to this and ⁓ I'll be asking questions and everything else and talking about it. but your favorite word, context from teaching the Bible. So let's start with the context. Yep. Who wrote this? What is style is it written in? Yeah. ⁓ w all of that. I know you had that nice slide up there that really I saw a lot of people writing it down. Yeah. Which I was one of ⁓ and I think that'd be great to you know, I just especially too, whenever you read the Bible, that's why I always like those study Bibles. 'Cause even though we might know, but if someone's opening it for the first time, they can be like, ⁓ this person wrote it and this is for the reasons. So Yes. It's easy to ⁓ assume the book is written directly to us. In some ways it is. Yeah. But in many ways it's not. So the Bible is a collection of books, a collection of letters, and it was compiled to be scripture, so human beings wrote it, but God inspired it. That's how it tells one story 'cause it was written across centuries, countries, multiple narrators. And yet it tells one cohesive story. That's through the influence of the Spirit. That's part of what makes it so incredible. This particular book, Revelation, like all the others, has a human being who wrote it down, which was John the Apostle. So even if you're not familiar with the Bible, you've probably heard of John, or at least you have a friend named John, because that name became famous because of this individual. That John was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. So When Jesus was going to get disciples, John was a fisherman. And then out of those twelve, Jesus really had three that were part of his inner core Peter, James, and John. James and John were brothers, and then obviously everyone knows Peter. So this is the same John. Yeah. John, after Jesus leaves, is ⁓ left with the other disciples except Judas, who, you know, ends his own life. So they spent time with Jesus. They were his followers. Yes. Jesus is killed, ⁓ buried, resurrected from the dead. They all see him for 40 days. He ascends into heaven and says, Wait till I come back, or until I come back, go and tell the world about my message and about placing faith in me and building the kingdom such as. Feeding the hungry, you know, clothing the naked, you know, the these things. Like do do the work I've told you to do. ⁓ go make disciples. So this is the birth of the early church. ⁓ the early church is not received well, especially in Jerusalem, because it's seen as a threat to the leaders of power, not just the religious but the secular Romans, which we've talked about season one. Yep. So there's persecution. And over the course of a few decades, all of the disciples are murdered. Yeah. They're all killed. ⁓ except John. Mm. John's not killed, but not from lack of trying. No. He they actually ⁓ I it sounds horrible. Like some are crucified like Jesus, others are impaled, you know, some are cut with the sword, like it's just Yeah. Others are like stoned to death, like it's wild. Yeah, they're just murdered. And so ⁓ but John, they tried to kill him. by throwing him in boiling oil. Yes. And he didn't die. So like not from lack of trying. So they couldn't kill him. And they sent him to an island of Patmos and they basically banished him. They were like, okay, go over there and die. Yeah. So he is older at this point. They they speculate this is ninety five AD, but he's still seen as a church father. Like 'cause he knew Jesus. So He's still corresponding with the early church, these house churches that have popped up around the Mediterranean Sea. And while he's on the Isle of Patmos in exile, this is when he has an encounter, a visitation, a vision, however you want to describe it. He has a time with Jesus who comes to visit him and says, I have a message that you need to send out to the seven churches of Asia Minor. Yep. So these are specific people. In specific cities in ninety five AD, living under the Roman Empire, about sixty years after Jesus is resurrected. So that's the context. Real quick. Yeah. When you say Asia Minor, what does that mean? Basically think ⁓ Turkey, Greece, you know, that that part of the Roman Empire. Yeah. Yeah. Scattered yeah. Scattered through there. I I guess you would probably say Eastern Europe, some of that. But yeah, that is the area we're talking about in ninety five AD. And these are churches that people go to and everything else. Yeah. ⁓ again, don't think of maybe of like a big building like today. No. Think of house churches. Yep. Like a group that would maybe rotate like, ⁓ we're meeting at Chase's house or Sam's house next Sunday, but they gather, they worship and they're practicing their faith. Yes. Yeah. While being persecuted by the Roman government. Yep. Yeah. And ⁓ So it's a letter. It's a letter. I meant say yeah, it's a letter. So it's addressed to specific people at a specific time. This is the letter. Yeah. And and and it's told that and so when he's on this, ⁓ that encounter he has. Mm-hmm. Can you describe kinda what that encounter is? 'Cause I think you know, and I think maybe explain ⁓ I think there's a lot of talk about revelation and revelations, if that makes sense. Yep. ⁓ kind of so 'cause ⁓ I've heard the argument that people say, like, ⁓ John was just crazy and he was b abandoned and all this and stuff. So Yeah, like that is that would make sense. Yeah. That like anyone else who says I had a encounter with Jesus and it told me all about the end of the world. Yeah. If that happened today, we'd probably put them in a nut house. Yeah. And get them some medication. Mm-hmm. That's the thing. That's w but this is what makes this different, is that John It's hard to prove he wasn't crazy. So I'm not gonna go that argument. I don't think he was, but I can't prove that. Of course. But what I can prove is that this book, when understood in the context of the rest of scripture, falls perfectly in line with everything that the scriptures predicted. Yes. That it's the natural logical next step of everything that had been predicted, and it's theologically ⁓ accurate. There's no heresy. There's no contradictions in here. There's nothing that would say, ⁓ well, that makes this confusing. That's again why it's called revelation. What revelation is is ⁓ or the ⁓ word apocalypse means reveal. Yes. Pulling back the curtain, revealing what's been going on in the background. ⁓ think of the wizard of Oz, who's the man behind the curtain, yeah. Pulls back and reveals it. So John is simply saying, okay, this is God showing us what's going on now, what he's doing in the cosmos, what he's doing about evil and pain and suffering, and what he will do in the future at a later date that no one knows except the Father. Yes. And how the world will be restored. Again, if he was crazy. It wouldn't be in line with the rest of scripture. If it was illogical, it could be proven wrong. But it none of these things apply to John. So we have to then assume he's not crazy. He was inspired by the Spirit, the same spirit that helped write Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, ⁓ first, second, Samuel, Matthew, Mark. Like this same spirit tells the same story. So that's that that's why we trust it. It's also gone through. Heavy vetting process. They did not want a false teaching out there. The church was hyper vigilant against false teaching because they're in their infancy. Yeah. They're they knew that people were trying to make up lies about Jesus to capitalize on his fame and benefit themselves. This went through the same test, the exact same test. So it passed with flying colors. Yeah. That's why it's included in the scriptures. I think too, like just a question that someone could have. So In that first part, John talks about there is a time that is coming soon. Yes. What is soon? Soon is Which I know we already talked about, you know, we can't predict the time. Right. But when he says soon, you know, we could take that in many different things. Yeah. something to understand is we have been in the end times for over two thousand years. Yes. That is abundantly clear in scripture that we exist in the time between the times. as N.T. Wright calls it, which means there is a time before Christ, there is a time when Christ was on the wor earth for about thirty-three years, and then a time after the resurrection. The time after the resurrection, according to the Apostle Paul, is when Christ got out of the grave on Easter morning, he issued in a new kingdom, or ushered in a new kingdom. Yeah. He is the firstborn from among the dead. Yes. That had not happened before. So he is like there are other times of maybe someone, you know, coming back from the dead that have been talking about in the Old Testament, but that was through someone else. Yeah. Again, through the power of God. This is Jesus being revived by God. This is different than a prophet doing it in the Old Testament. So Jesus Christ not only predicted this would be his death, but then said, I will come back. Mm-hmm. Proving everything I'm saying is true. The sign of Jonah, as we talked about in season one. If someone says, Look at all these miracles I'm doing, look at these teachings, look at this following, but the ultimate sign is that you'll kill me and I'll come back from the grave, then you should really believe everything else. Yeah. If that dude stays dead, I don't believe anything he has to say. No. But if that dude comes back to life, everything he says is true. Yeah. So that's why everything hangs on the resurrection, which means Jesus is saying any day. Mm-hmm. It could have been the day after Easter, you know what I mean? That or the day after he ascends and comes back. He's like, ⁓ it was only one day. It could be four thousand years from now. We don't know. But everyone needs to be ready. That's what Jesus says over and over and over. Don't focus so much on when, focus on being ready. Yeah. And I think that the killing part, right? So the killing of Jesus and verse seven says even those who pierced him. Yeah, in the opening of this letter. Yeah, even those who pierced him will see. Is that referring to only the not only, but it could be both. ⁓ historically the r the Romans who pierced his side and slash the Jewish leaders who had it done. Yeah. Or is it everyone who's ever pierced his heart through whatever it is and ⁓ denying, blasphemy, whatever it is. Yeah, I think ⁓ I I think it would be both. It would be the literal. Yes. ⁓ 'cause he they're still writing in context to a Roman culture and ⁓ religious leaders that were very hostile to them. But when you also read again the Old Testament, you read prophecies where like he was crushed for our transgressions, he was pierced for our iniquity. Yep. So again, like it wasn't like just because I didn't live in the first century in thirty three AD doesn't mean I'm not deserving of death. for the sin that I've committed. Yeah. But the blood of Jesus covers me in twenty twenty six. Yes. Because his blood still was for all people for all time. So even those who deny Jesus will still bow at his coming. ⁓ doesn't mean they'll be accepted. No. Only those who have bowed the knee to Jesus and declared him their savior and Lord will be saved. Yep. But In the end everyone's gonna bow. Yeah. Not just non believers and believers, but the demons, the devil himself, all of creation will say King Jesus is here. Yeah, 'cause we already saw that ⁓ last season of Matthew that the demons even knew his power. ⁓ they freaked out. So now when he comes again, they're gonna be ten times. Yeah, because they they even said that and when I believe he when he shows up to ⁓ cast out the demon from the demon possessed man on the other side of the lake, they say, has the time come? Yes. Like they when they saw him and were like, ⁓ it's the end of the world. ⁓ yeah. Like they ⁓ We read that pretty quick and we're like, what were the and we're like, ⁓ no, that's not why he's here. But what were the disciples thinking? Yeah, they were like, Is it? Is it the end of the world? Is this it? Yeah. Like the de the demons seem to think it's the end of the world. ⁓ and it wasn't. No. It went on for two thousand more years. Yeah. So And it wasn't. And I think so like this podcast specifically, right, is ⁓ we'll have the sermons up there, but this one specifically is diving into things 'cause when you do break down revelations, there is so much in it that it's hard to get it all into twenty five, thirty minutes. Yeah. That's why I go thirty five minutes. Yeah, there you go. And so this one we really wanted to use to dive into some of this stuff, ⁓ that you didn't get to. And then also, just for ⁓ anyone listening, ⁓ if you do have questions you can leave it in the comments, you can ⁓ send it to the email that's gonna be in the description. ⁓ and please send them in and we'll ask it here. ⁓ so that way we can cover it all. But ⁓ as w as we went through this revelations, what are some things that you really want to dive into that you couldn't necessarily okay. So first off we have ⁓ just as you had already brought up that ⁓ I love the line When ⁓ John to the seven churches in the province of Asia, grace and peace to you from him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, as we just talked about. Yep. And the ruler of the kings of the earth. So that's who Jesus is. Mm-hmm. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. So that's the good news. Mm-hmm. That's who Jesus is. Yes. That's the good news. You were enslaved and far from God, but he loved you enough to bleed out for you, to free you, and not only has freed you, but has changed your identity. Yes. From one who was enslaved and dead and unloved to one who is loved, alive, and free, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and father, to him be the glory and passion. power forever and ever. So every person who is in Christ is part of the kingdom of God that is not bound by ⁓ language, culture, race, socioeconomic class, country of origin, none of that. We are united as brothers and sisters, and we are all called priests. What does that mean? A priest is an intercessor between God and the people who do not yet know him. Mm-hmm. So I mean of course to the people of God as well. But that we bear in our bodies Christ. Like we carry him with us into everyday life. Yeah. We carry Christ with us to the Mexican restaurant, to ⁓ Waffle House family dinners. Yeah. Like Waffle House to work to the gym. Yep. Wherever we go, we bring Christ with us. I think if people really stop to understand that We might carry ourselves a little differently. Not saying holier than thou. No. But I do wonder if there might be more joy. I I think so. I think there'd be more joy and more peace to say, I carry Christ in me. So I carry the source of peace and joy and love inside of me. Yeah. Like that that's a that's a huge mind shift for people. Yeah. And the joy I think also comes from a bit of confidence too. Not like the confidence we think, but not self confidence, confidence in him. That the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead is in you. Yes. So that should give you confidence to walk into any situation not only with joy, but with a confidence that hey ⁓ I'm pretty covered. This is a little bit like slightly off topic, but there's ⁓ kind of that phrase like ⁓ we tell kids maybe who aren't fitting in or maybe getting picked on or something. Like, who cares what they think? Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ I care what they think. I care greatly what people think. Like, ⁓ that's not very helpful advice when you're hurting because you're like, No. I care what they think about me, because that's why I'm hurting. Yeah. The only way you can say who cares what they think is if you know you have the king's. Mm. Mm-hmm. That's what makes the difference. It's it's different to say the servants don't like me in the court, but the king loves me. Yeah. That's different. That's what I'm But if the kings don't if the king doesn't know who you are and the others in the court don't like you, yeah, you're gonna feel that. But if you are favored and loved by the king, that's how that phrase, who cares what they think, really changes you. Amen. Yeah. It truly does. ⁓ And another one I I think I mean you shared this in your sermon, but I think it's worth going back through with in Daniel. ⁓ speaking of like Daniel not being liked, right? Yeah. And then of not being liked by the king of the world or of the of the area of the empire, ⁓ huh. But being loved by the king. Yeah. That that one I know like I I went home and I talked to Lena about it and ⁓ just about like I'm just finding it. How it was in her Jesus storybook Bible. Mm-hmm. ⁓ we were on that and I was t I was teaching her about it. And it's just so cool. And I paired it with that of like you might not be liked by this world, but if you're loved by the king, even in the fire, you're gonna survive. So yep. So the more that I've studied the book of Revelation, yeah, that when I saw the ⁓ connection with Daniel three. Mm-hmm. I realized how Daniel three really is a precursor to understanding the book of Revelation is almost like a key. At least I thought for me to really understand it. So Daniel ⁓ chapter three, but specifically the book of Daniel is Old Testament. It happens in a very painful period in Israel's history. So this is after King David, after King Solomon, all the good kings, it's all bad kings at this point and People are turning away from God and they're not repenting, they're not listening to the prophets, the kings are doing whatever they want, and Babylon comes and takes them over, captures the city of Jerusalem, and King Nebuchadnezzar ⁓ captures all of the ⁓ healthiest, strongest, best looking men in the kingdom so that they can be servants in his court. And Daniel and his friends are considered the best of the best. Daniel is the best of the best of the best, so that's why we have a whole book of him. But he's like so dedicated to the Lord. But his friends are as well. So in Daniel chapter 3, they're living in Babylon. They're living in a land outside of their home. King Nebuchadnezzar decides to make a golden statue in order to ⁓ Tell everyone, hey, you might have come from different regions, but we'll assimilate this way. You're gonna worship this gold statue, most likely of himself. ⁓ at certain hours of the day, and you'll have to bow down, and if you don't, I'll throw him in a throw you in a fiery furnace. Well, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendigo, the three friends of Daniel. Yep. ⁓ rough baby names, if you're looking for any, ⁓ stick with Daniel, but yeah, Shadrach is a tough one. Shadrach. ⁓ this is my son Abendigo. So ⁓ but they just say like, nah, we're not gonna do it. We're not gonna bow down and he's like, then you're embarrassing me, like you're shaming me. And they're like, Don't mean to, but we're only gonna bow down to Yahweh, to our God. So Nebuchadnezzar is furious and this is like in his anger he makes the furnace twice as hot. So it's twice as hot, it's so hot that they're bound up to be thrown into the furnace and even getting close to the entranceway, the guards who are throwing them in. Catch on fire. So this is a raging inferno. They get thrown in knowing this is it. Yeah. But they refuse to die. Or they they they will die, but they refuse to bow. Like they'd rather die than ⁓ worship anyone other than God. So Nebuchadnezzar somehow is able to look into the furnace and says, How many did we throw in again? Yeah. And it's that famous line where they're like, Three. We threw three men in. And Nebuchadnezzar says there's a fourth one. There's a fourth one in the fire. So I have it right here. ⁓ verse 25. He said, Look, I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like the son of the gods. Many believe this is one of the first, if not the first, incarnations of Jesus showing up on earth. Yeah. ⁓ yeah. That's when he showed and and then the three men come out of the furnace. Mm-hmm. In order and and they don't even smell like smoke, nothing's burned, not their clothing, not their hair. And Nebuchadnezzar is like w praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendigo. And it really hit me that this is what the book of Revelation is about. ⁓ It's not about predicting when the world ends, or it's not about making sure that you have a bunker fully loaded with whatever in order to survive. It's about Will you remain faithful to Jesus no matter what? Mm-hmm. ⁓ That's truly what the book is saying. You will endure hardship. Even if it's not the end of the world. Yeah. You will endure hardship. You will endure disease and ⁓ painful relationships and disappointment. Whatever. Will you remain faithful to Jesus in all seasons? Or will you bow down like everyone else and worship a false God? Yeah. And so that I'm like that to me. As you read it, that's what Revelation's asking us to do. Because we know that on the other side of all this pain, even on the other side of a fire that does burn us up, we know the end of the story. We know that it's good. And we know that Jesus is with us. And death is not the end. Yeah. Where death is your sting. Yes. That's why that's why we celebrate Easter. That's why we take it s that's why everything hangs on the resurrection. Because if Jesus got out of the tomb after being crucified, Mm-hmm. Then Shadrach you know what you mean? Like then anyone who's lit on fire, stabbed to death, dies of cancer, you know, hit by a car, whatever. All those, no matter how you died, if you endured to the end, faithful in Christ, you were in Christ, you will be resurrected on that day and spend eternity with God forever. Yeah. Because I I I just pulled it up. ⁓ it is first Corinthians ⁓ fifteen. Yes. And Right there, like Paul is talking ⁓ about how if if if the resurrection didn't happen. Is that where he says we are people to be most pitied? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, most pitied. That all this is a lie, all this is done, like we're we're pretty much done for. We're fools, I think is what he says. Yeah. We are fools, walking fools. And I told the church on Easter 'cause I I preached from that passage saying we should all be at brunch. Yeah, like we could still wear the pastel colors and have the Easter bunny, but we probably wouldn't call it Easter. Yeah. But we should not be here. Yeah. We should not be singing songs to a carpenter who lived two thousand years ago if he doesn't get out of the tomb. Yeah. 'Cause at the end of it, ⁓ verse nineteen it says If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are all of all we are of all men the most pitiful. So he's talking about if it's not true. Mm-hmm. The most pitiful. Mm-hmm. And it's just it's true. The whole thing hangs on the resurrection. So if you believe in the resurrection, then you have the hope. But if you don't, and you're just bowing down like and Yeah, this cultural exciting thing, you're do you're going along with this, that, like you're just going along with the tide of culture. Yeah. You're going along with the opinions of the world. Yeah. You have no stake. Yeah. You have no anchor. No. If if Jesus is dead, then Believe whatever you want to believe. Who cares? You're gonna be worm dirt at the end. You're gonna be But if Jesus is alive and he says the only way to eternal life is through me and obedience to me, ⁓ I am the way. All of a sudden it's a lot more important to stake your life on the foundation of Christ rather than the opinions of the world or any other metric that might tell you that you've lived a successful life. Yeah, and I think you see it on ⁓ lot of churches and stuff where ⁓ I mean I'll fly I'll say they'll say there's many paths to God and this and that. But if you read the Bible, Jesus says I am the way, the truth, the life, no one comes to the Father except through me. Mm-hmm. It's right there. Yeah. There's no other way besides through Jesus. Pretty yep. Yeah. The difference though is every ⁓ it sounds exclusive. Very but it's the most inclusive exclusive claim. Yes. Here's what I mean by that. That like to every other religion, in order to be saved, requires you to do something to a certain level. Mm-hmm. Be this holy, this repentant, be this charitable, be this good. Like I'll just pick on Hinduism for a second. In order to break the cycle, you have to reach a certain goodness. Yeah. Holiness is the be the word we would use. You have to reach a certain level in order to break it to get to the next realm. But only in Christianity. Is it not up to you outside of deciding to follow Jesus? That means it's not just for the best of our society. It's for it is for them, but it's also for the mentally handicapped, for the oppressed, for the slave, for the murderer, for the you know, the prisoner, for the hungry, for the poor. Only Christianity offers salvation Not based on our works, but on the works of God. another way people described it is every other religion you have to hike to the top of the mountain to reach eternity, to reach salvation. Yeah. Only Christianity does God come down the mountain to us. Yeah. He came as a servant. Right. And he's saying, Only through me, but anyone can come. Every other religion also says that too. This is the only way. Mm-hmm. ⁓ this is the only way to do it is our way, but it's all about what you do. Yes. And how well you do it. So you better do it real real well. Yeah, very true. And I think too, ⁓ you know, going through this book, I I really encourage everyone to listen to the sermons because today, you know, we might not talk about everything that's going on here, but that is covered in the sermon. ⁓ so I I really encourage everyone to listen to those sermon. But ⁓ before I ask the last little thing here, Sam, is there anything else that you kinda want to go over that you weren't able to. Yeah. ⁓ probably the one that I wanted to hit on that was like, ⁓ man, like it has so much implication for us today is ⁓ again that phrase, do not be afraid. I'm the living one. I was dead and now look, I am alive forevermore and I hold the keys of death and Hades. Mm-hmm. That is what Jesus does. That's the power and authority Jesus has. Mm-hmm. Again He's not saying it's me and someone else. It's just me. I hold the keys of death and Hades. So I am in charge of death and hell. Mm-hmm. Amen. Like that's that should really put steel in your spine and be like, okay, okay. Nothing's gonna wipe me out in the end. Like I might lose my body or I might lose this or that, but like I'm not losing eternity. No. I'm not losing salvation. Jesus has the keys. I'm trusting in him. Yeah. And so that'll bring us to the final one, which ⁓ you showed this picture ⁓ at church and you're talking about, you know, standing not bowing down, brought up ⁓ in Daniel and then also in Revelation that every knee will bow to Jesus, but not bowing to this worldly. Yep. ⁓ and you know, you talked about being the ⁓ light of the world, right? And like but you brought it back to what it meant back then. Yes. And I think that It's another one that we just to emphasize. Yeah, so like I'll try not to resay whole thing because that's what the sermon was for. But I think we have a picture that we can put up maybe. Yeah, it's up. Okay, cool. So in this picture it's a famous painting or not I don't know about famous painting, but it's it's a painting reenacting what Nero's dinner parties were like. Nero was the Caesar ⁓ shortly after the resurrection of Jesus and he persecuted Christians, hated Christians. So what he would do to get Christians punished and to cause fear among the church was find different ways of killing them and torturing them, such as lion's dens and ⁓ you know gladiator pits. But this one in particular on the image you'll see on the right, especially the upper right, where it's shadowy, you'll see that there are faces on top of the poles because Nero is about to light them on fire. To again spread fear through death and pain, you know. Are you sure you want to be a Christian? Are you sure you want to follow Jesus? And they willingly were bound and didn't really put up a fight. They were like, Yeah, we're gonna we're we'd rather die than do that. So so to me, I think that's what is often so missing in the church of America today is man. It takes hardly anything for us to bend. Yeah. Hardly anything. Yeah. To compromise. Because we've we've grown up in a time for thirty, forty, almost you know, since nineteen fifties, almost seventy years where being a Christian was not just accepted but celebrated. Yeah. It it was an in. Like it came with other side benefits. Like it was socially good to be a Christian. Like it it you know I mean it was easy to be a Christian, dare I say. Probably the easiest time in the history of the world to be a Christian. And now that we're coming to the tail end of that, if not, you know, that ended 20 years ago, now it's not that easy to be a Christian. No. It's still relatively easy, but compared to what it was, it's not as easy. No. ⁓ so we we try and say, well like I'm not like those Christians. I'm like a this Christian. And you're like, nah, like, who cares what they think about you if you have the king's approval. Yeah. And I think that's the distinction that has been lost so often is it's not through conformity. It's through holiness and standing out by saying, Listen, I'm not gonna be the ⁓ hellfire brimstone on the side of the street telling everyone they're gonna burn in hell forever. That that's not gonna win people for Christ. Nope. But it's saying here is what the word says, holding fast to it, living your life in accordance with it, ⁓ loving your enemies as Christ has loved you, forgive like laying down your life for others. That's what you will see later in the book of Revelation as we get there is it's Like when all the horrible things start happening, plagues, disease, wars, famines, all that stuff. None of that softens people's hearts. It's when those who are faithful to Jesus are willing to lose their lives in service to him and others, that's when the world takes notice. Yep. That's when people perk up. Yeah. And to me, that's what I think is been missing for so long. Just simply coming to church on Sunday is good. It's good. It's a wonderful start. It's how people get to know your name. It's how you get to hear the truth. It's great. It's a wonderful, wonderful way to live your life. Yeah. But it's not the end of the journey. It's now go and live it out. ⁓ former pastor here used to say this is practice for the game during the week. Like w we have to go and live it. Yeah. And not bend to society. But also live in a way that isn't Holier than thou looking our noses down on others. Because that's not helpful either. Because then you're holier than thou and they won't even come and approach you. But Jesus lived in such a way, we talked about this season one, he preaches the sermon on the mount. Yes. Highest level of sexual ethic, highest level of monetary ethic. You know what I mean? Like forgiving your enemies. And then he comes down off the mountain. He doesn't lose his ethics, but he loves sinners. He loves the prostitutes. He loves the tax collectors. Like and they change because he loves them. Yes. But they change to live his way of life. Mm-hmm. So you need both. You need both. You need both. You need both. And so ⁓ with that, we're gonna be closing out today. ⁓ episode one of season two. Mm-hmm. ⁓ and now that intro where I say download our app, you can now. which is great. That's true. Yeah, you can actually download the app now. So ⁓ These ⁓ podcasts will be coming out ⁓ during the week. ⁓ we're still picking a day. ⁓ we're thinking about Thursday. ⁓ so you can schedule that for ⁓ every Thursday and ⁓ the sermon will be out on Mondays. So ⁓ if you do, I also want to suggest this. If you do need a song to play in the morning, ⁓ just be ready for it. ⁓ Sam and I both really love this song. It's called For Christ Alone ⁓ by twenty eight nineteen worship. ⁓ you can listen to the short version or the long one, but ⁓ the short one's still like seven minutes long. Yeah, still still seven. But it is absolutely incredible. And Philip Anthony Mitchell and his whole team there are incredible. ⁓ but it really goes with revelations and should get you as Pastor Sam said, this is a hope book. It should bring you hope. ⁓ and that shouldn't bring you a lot of hope. So absolutely. So with that, ⁓ we'll see you next week and ⁓ thanks for tuning in wherever you are.

Daniel 3 · chapter mention