WEBVTT 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.759 You're listening to the road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:17.679 Some of you in this room are struggling with cancer. 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:22.960 Some of you have been robbed and then ripped off by the court system. 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:31.519 Some of you have lost marriages and lost family members and leukemia or maybe a divorce. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:36.159 And you ask that question, you cry out in those lonely places of our heart. 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:36.960 Why, Lord? 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:39.359 Not fair. 00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:42.000 Life's not fair. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:44.880 But it's going to be made fair. 00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:48.399 It is going to be made fair. 00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:51.280 And justice is coming. 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:57.280 Today, Pastor Steve continues his series on the book of Revelation. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:03.039 At The Road, our vision is to raise up wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ. 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:07.599 For more information on The Road, visit theroad.org. 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:12.879 We hope you are encouraged by today's message from Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:18.400 Revelation chapter 19. 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:22.719 And Revelation 19 is the high point of scripture. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:25.280 It is the high point in the Bible. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:28.400 And some have called it the hallelujah course of the Bible. 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:29.519 Revelation 19. 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:32.480 And if you've been with us, most of you have over the last few months. 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:38.000 We have been in the wrath and judgment of God now for about three months. 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:47.599 And now we're coming in to this fourth-dimensional view that John got to see of the future that we can anticipate. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:49.599 And this is your wedding announcement. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:53.439 Alright, Revelation 19 is your wedding announcement. 00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:57.519 If you know the Lord, it's your wedding invitation if you don't. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:01.920 So turn in your Bibles to Revelation 19 or look on your app. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:04.400 And here we go. 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:05.840 We've got a lot to cover here. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:06.480 Pretty cool. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:09.599 I call it the Great Feast with the Great Warrior. 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:12.319 Can you imagine having this big feast? 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:13.759 You're going to have this meal. 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.639 And if you're from Japan, it's going to have sushi. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:19.280 There'll be sushi there, you know. 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:23.840 You're Chinese, it'll have wonton soup and all of that. 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:27.199 And if you're an American, it'll have steak and potatoes. 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:28.800 But you're coming into this feast. 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:29.919 You've been invited to this banquet. 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:31.439 He says, after these things. 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:37.919 So, as you know, 17 and 18, we talked about the Babylonian city, the Babylonian system. 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:43.439 That is now being destroyed by God in the midst of Revelation 19. 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:48.319 I heard a loud voice of a great multitude. 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:50.719 I believe these are the tribulation saints. 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:53.039 These are also those of the rapture church. 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:53.840 We're up there. 00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:55.280 We're on the mezzanine. 00:02:55.439 --> 00:02:56.800 We're a part of this whole thing. 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:58.639 We are fired up. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:04.479 This is bigger than the Denver Broncos coming out of the tunnel at the Super Bowl. 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:11.840 This is a bunch of fired up saints in heaven saying hallelujah. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:13.840 We're going to see four times the word allelujah. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:17.199 This is the only place in the Bible where you have the word hallelujah. 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:20.319 It's a transliteration of Hebrew. 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:22.800 The Greek word is hallelujah. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:28.080 Twenty-four times in the Old Testament is translated, praise the Lord. 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:29.520 Four times, hallelujah. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:33.520 This is why it's called the Hallelujah chorus or the Alleluia Chorus. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:36.960 The New Testament, Alleluia chorus. 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:38.639 And here's why. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:42.400 Salvation, this is why you guys should be. 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:45.199 When we come to worship, this is why we get fired up. 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:48.080 This is why we try to stay focused. 00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:53.680 And drop all the stuff from your job and everything, you know, at the door, please. 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:56.960 And none of us do this well, but anyway, we're getting better at it. 00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:00.479 Sometimes I'm terrible and I'm I get paid to do this. 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:01.039 Okay? 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:02.879 You're volunteers. 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:03.680 But anyway. 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:08.560 So we come in to praise the Lord because we have salvation. 00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:11.680 We have the glory of God. 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:14.639 We have the honor of God. 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:19.040 And we have the power of God belonging to the Lord our God. 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:20.879 That's the God we serve. 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:22.000 That's His. 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:26.639 And men and women, all of creation is longing for this. 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:32.399 All of creation is longing for this day, this hallelujah chorus in heaven. 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:34.000 Romans 8. 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:41.519 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:50.240 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope? 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:59.279 Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:00.720 Can you imagine? 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:18.000 There's wild beasts, there's birds, there's bees, there's bears, there's lions that are actually rejoicing to see us coming into our destiny. 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:19.279 This coming of the Lord. 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:34.720 I don't know what this is going to be like, but it's pretty, I mean, you got to use a little God-anointed imagination, but I wonder if all of the animals are sort of all just, everything's changing right now. 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:39.199 This anticipation, all of the chorus of heaven is rejoicing. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:41.120 Everyone's excited. 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:47.279 For true and righteous are his judgments. 00:05:48.240 --> 00:06:00.720 Because he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants shed by her. 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:06.560 And so, church, all of our questions will be answered. 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:12.160 Some of you in this room are struggling with cancer. 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:17.360 Good friend of ours in the last two weeks may have cancer. 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:22.959 Some of you have been robbed and then ripped off by the court system. 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:32.160 Some of you have lost marriages and lost family members and leukemia or maybe a divorce. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:36.639 And you ask that question, you cry out in those lonely places of our heart. 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:37.920 Why, Lord? 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:40.240 It's not fair. 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:42.560 And it's not. 00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:45.519 Life's not fair. 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:48.480 But it's going to be made fair. 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:52.319 It is going to be made fair. 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:55.120 And justice is coming. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:01.600 And righteous and true are the judgments of God. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:24.000 And that's what we have to focus on in our deepest hurts and our deepest pain is that there is a day coming where true and righteous are the judgments of the Lord and the great harlot, that Babylonian system, the Antichrist, Satan demons are going to be judged. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:27.439 And again they say, Hallelujah. 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:30.560 And our smoke rises up forever and ever. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:32.959 He is annihilating evil here. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:35.680 He is annihilating evil. 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:45.519 And the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne saying, Amen. 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:56.319 Then a voice came from the throne saying, Praise our God, all you servants and those who fear him, both small and great. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:08:05.120 It's interesting, Alleluia is nowhere in, I mean, this is our transliteration in the English language, but it's like it's a heavenly dialect. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:13.600 It's as if, because it's not anywhere in the scriptures, it's as if we're getting a view of a new dialect. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:17.920 Like a new language that we're going to have in heaven. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:21.680 And it seems like hallelujah is a really popular word up there. 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:28.399 So as we get the glimpse into what's happening, and for the next three chapters, we're going to see this happen. 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:34.399 This new way of looking at life is exploding now. 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:36.240 It's like the heavens are split open. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:43.759 John sees this apocalypse, and as he does, he keeps hearing hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:45.039 Praise the Lord. 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:46.080 The Lord reigns. 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:47.440 The Lord is omnipotent. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:49.120 The Lord is glory. 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:50.639 The Lord is honor. 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:52.240 The Lord is salvation. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:53.360 It is all his. 00:08:53.679 --> 00:08:54.480 Hallelujah. 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:55.600 The Lord is coming. 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:57.440 Everything's coming together. 00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:07.440 And then he says, All, praise our God, all you his servants, and those who fear him. 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:12.000 Do you know it's possible to serve God without fearing God? 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:21.919 There's all kinds of motivations, right, in our lives for serving God, but God rejoices in those who serve him with a fear of God. 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:26.399 And I grew up with a dad who's pretty cool. 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:27.919 And he loved Jesus. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:33.039 He's always, I never knew my dad ever to lie about anything. 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:34.799 He was an honest, upright man. 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:35.840 He's still alive today. 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:39.039 And if you meet him, he probably will at some point when he's visiting. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:41.279 You'll see what I'm talking about. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:50.399 But there were those times when his firstborn son did lie. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:54.960 And did do some unscrupulous things. 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:12.799 Sometimes if Liz uses it, she's got a, I almost think it's the opposite sometimes with her, like mom's coming home. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:19.120 But dad's coming home, and you tell him the truth. 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:28.559 And there was something that happened within my heart of what we might call the fear of dad. 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:38.159 And it wasn't that he was going to whip me, that he was going to beat me, but it was a fear of the repercussions of what I knew I was guilty of. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:42.000 Well, and I think there's something healthy, church, about having a fear of God. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:49.360 A fear of being in sin, a fear of things that we're up to, and all of us here in a sense are up to no good. 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:58.000 But those areas of our life that we're giving to the Lord and trying to walk in holiness more and more of serving God and fearing God. 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:06.399 Serving him out of love, but also fearing him for his holiness and the fact that we might miss his favor. 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:08.720 How many of you are familiar with The Prayer of Jabez? 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:10.399 Okay, awesome. 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:20.720 Great book, Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson, came out, I think, around 2000, fastest-selling book in the history of Bookham. 00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:24.159 And so it was really popular and everything. 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:25.759 I think he had 20 million that were sold. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:26.799 It was unbelievable. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:28.559 Anyway, so I'm rereading it. 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:30.080 I'm re-reading the Prayer of Jabez. 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:31.519 And so I was reading it again. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:35.039 And it talks about bless me, O Lord, bless me indeed. 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:37.120 And then at the very, there's like four points. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:40.480 And the last one is keep me from evil. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:44.000 That I might not be one who creates evil. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:49.679 And we believe that's because Jabez's name, which means pain, keep me from causing pain in other people's lives. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:52.639 So I prayed that over my son yesterday before his baseball game. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:53.919 So we're going to pray a prayer of Jabez. 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:55.919 So I laid hands on him, prayed for him. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:00.000 And then one of his little guys on the team came up and I said, Come here, Christian. 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:00.720 His name's Christian. 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:03.200 And I invited his parents over and I explained the prayer of Jabez. 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:05.279 We prayed the prayer of Jabez over his two kids. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:08.960 Well, at the end of the day, and they had just done really well yesterday. 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:12.399 This kid, who may have never been around prayer before, I don't know. 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:17.360 He said, Tell your dad he can pray for me anytime. 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:20.000 Because I guess he had a good game. 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:27.279 Well, when we're praying for blessing, we're also praying that we would walk in the fear of God. 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:29.279 Ask God. 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:35.039 If it's not in your life, ask God, God, give me a holy fear for you laced with love. 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:36.960 Give me a fear. 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:41.919 I mean, I love my dad, but I also feared my dad. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:45.039 And I think what I feared was that I would break his heart. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:50.000 And in those little incidences throughout life, I did at different times. 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:50.960 And you do too. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:51.840 And we all do. 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:53.200 And he's there and he's forgiving. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:13:04.960 But he says here, a voice came from the throne saying, Praise our God, all you who are his servants, and those who fear him, both small and great. 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:20.399 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and the sound of many waters, the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:23.279 So we are headed into the reign of Christ. 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:25.039 He's going to reign supreme. 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:26.240 He's omnipotent. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:35.200 We are headed toward that day when there is no sin, when there is nothing opposing God on this day. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:41.600 He omnipotent, all power, is reigning over the earth. 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:45.759 Verse 7, and here's your, okay, here's your wedding announcement. 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:47.919 Here comes the wedding announcement, gang. 00:13:48.159 --> 00:14:05.759 Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife, that's us, the church, has made herself ready. 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:16.320 Now, Hebrew weddings have changed over the years, but at the time of this writing, a Hebrew wedding really had about three parts to it. 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:17.759 It still sort of does. 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:26.080 And actually, in different parts of the world where you have arranged marriages, in some ways there's some similarities as far as Christian nations that have arranged marriages. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:30.879 But there were three parts, and we're gonna download this a little bit more as we come to the end. 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:36.320 But the first is what we call the betrothal, and this was the contract. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:45.519 And oftentimes, church, that was between a mom and a dad of the groom and a mom and dad of the bride when they were kids. 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:50.879 So when they were younger, there was already an arrangement made called a betrothal. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:57.519 And it was sort of a contract between the families that these two were going to get married. 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:05.120 And when you got saved, when you gave your heart to Christ, you were betrothed to Christ. 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:06.960 You became his. 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:21.679 Ephesians 1. 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:28.960 So if you put your faith in Christ, you now have a contract with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, and you can't get out of it, folks. 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:30.799 You can't get a divorce. 00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:39.039 You can run as far as you can, and the long arm of grace is going to pull you back. 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.039 You are sealed. 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:42.240 You are his. 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:43.759 That's the first part. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:47.200 Second part is what we call the presentation. 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:58.960 Now, the presentation is interesting because this is where, at the point where there's going to be a marriage ceremony, the groom back then would build his house. 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:04.639 And usually, and good news and bad news here, usually it was right there with the in-laws. 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:05.840 Okay, back then. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:08.559 Because he had the land, he didn't have the land yet, so he built that. 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:19.600 So he's preparing, he's preparing, he's preparing for this marriage because he's going to go and he's going to get his bride, and he's going to bring her back to the house that he's built. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:22.159 And this is what Jesus says in John 14. 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:24.799 Let not your heart be troubled. 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:27.840 You believe in God, believe also in me. 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:31.759 In my father's house are many mansions. 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:34.320 There's an extension to his house. 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:39.120 If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:40.320 We're his bride. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:42.240 He's preparing a place for you. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:44.000 He's building the house. 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:55.759 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:00.960 See the see the betrothal, the marriage language of what Jesus is saying. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:01.919 He said, look, I'm going. 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:06.799 And they, the Jewish, the Jewish believers, the disciples, they would have gotten that. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:08.160 Oh, oh, yeah, okay. 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:14.319 He's conjuring up an image of when we got married and how we went and built a house to get ready. 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:16.799 Because then there's the ceremony. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:18.400 And that's what we're looking at here. 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:20.880 This is the marriage of the Lamb. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:25.599 This is the ceremony that's being prepared by the Lord for us. 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:27.279 This is the wedding announcement. 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:29.839 If you're not a believer, this is your wedding invitation. 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:31.200 You should come. 00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:34.799 Because there's two suppers in this chapter. 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:37.680 You don't want to be in the second supper. 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:39.599 We're going to read it in just a moment. 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:41.519 You want to go to this supper. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:43.599 This is the marriage feast. 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:48.559 This is what he's been preparing for thousands of years for us. 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:59.599 Since Christ ascended, he's been up there working on your house to take you back to his father's house. 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:01.359 Isn't that exciting? 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:03.920 It's going to be a reunion. 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:06.559 How many have family reunions anymore? 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:08.240 Does anybody go to family reunions anymore? 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.119 Raise your hand. 00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:10.559 I mean, just a few of you. 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:12.640 Family reunions are like a thing of the past. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:15.839 We used to do it every year in South Carolina with my family. 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:19.759 We always went to family reunions and it's like, uh, you know. 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:25.359 And Matilda's, what was it called? 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:30.480 It was this angel food cake moon pie thing. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:34.799 And oh, you know, and Jell-O. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:41.039 I just remember jello with whipped cream on top and grapes interspersed. 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:43.440 And then sometimes it had colors. 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:46.720 You know, oh, Jell-O's back. 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:53.359 But here's the way it is today, men and women, is that really funerals and weddings are our reunions. 00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:54.240 Have you noticed that? 00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:55.839 That's really where family reunions happen. 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:56.880 And that's the way I look at it. 00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:02.400 If I do any of your weddings here, I will, in my talk, I'll share how this is kind of a reunion of sorts. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:07.599 I mean, that's the only time you get everybody together anymore, is a is a marriage or a funeral. 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:11.039 And marriages are so fun in that regard. 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:12.079 And can you imagine? 00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:26.000 We're at the reunion, and you're sitting at the banqueting table, and this guy with a beard is next to you, and you're introducing yourself to people, and guys says, Hey, I'm Moses. 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:27.920 And you go, get out. 00:19:31.279 --> 00:19:36.240 And you see this other guy, you go, you know, I think I've seen that face before. 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:40.000 You're not George Whitfield, are you? 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:42.720 I read your story, several versions. 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:44.160 Yeah, Whitfield. 00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:45.359 Do you still smoke cigars? 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:46.799 He said, Absolutely. 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:50.240 With C.S. 00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:51.119 Lewis. 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:54.400 It's a reunion, folks. 00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:55.440 Isn't that exciting? 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:57.359 You're gonna see your loved ones. 00:19:57.680 --> 00:20:03.200 You're gonna see your moms and your dads and your and your grandparents and that child that died. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:10.880 And you're actually gonna see the one you've been married to that you've been fighting with your whole life, and you aren't fighting anymore. 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:14.480 You're gonna be like asking for forgiveness. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:17.200 An awesome day. 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:30.799 And to her, it was granted, verse 8, to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:31.920 Hello. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:36.640 We just did Springs Initiative. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:39.359 That's a righteous act of the saints. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:42.079 Some of you serve in children's ministry. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:44.640 Some of you help with our youth. 00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:48.160 Some of you are involved in Habitat for Humanity. 00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:51.440 Some of you give your money to missions. 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:58.640 Some of you give your money to acts of service and other ministries around the world. 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:02.720 Some of you are pouring your tithes and offerings into the road. 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:05.519 Those are righteous acts of the saints. 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:08.079 Every time you do that, it matters. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:10.160 It really matters. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:15.119 God notices what you do even when man doesn't. 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:17.440 And man usually doesn't. 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:25.599 Recently talking to someone at a baseball game, and we were talking, and I said, you know, don't you ever, like, you ever struggle with comparing yourself? 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:27.359 She said, Yes, yeah, we always struggle with that. 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:28.000 Yeah, we have struggle. 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:30.720 You realize that most people don't give a rip about you? 00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:32.880 She goes, What? 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:34.240 And I said, they really don't. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:36.400 I mean, they really, all they think about is themselves. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:44.640 And they don't really care about that you did that or you did this or that you stumbled over that because they're more worried about what you think of them than what you did. 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:50.079 And so that's one of the things that's helped me with comparison is that most people don't give a rip about you anyway. 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:52.240 But you know what? 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:53.359 God loves you. 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:55.920 And He notices your righteous acts. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:59.759 He notices what no one notices because most people can't notice because. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.680 Are so noticing themselves. 00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:06.960 And so God notices your righteous acts, and righteous acts really matter. 00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:13.920 And what's done in the closet explodes with loudspeakers in heaven. 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:21.119 And when we do it as servants who fear God, God notices, and for some reason, this is here. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:31.599 That the fine linen and the clean and the bright of the fine linen are the righteous acts of the saints. 00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:33.119 And I don't get this. 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:35.359 This is sort of heavenly. 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:41.599 It's hard to understand, but it's almost like we'll be clothed by our righteous acts. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:47.839 Maybe we'll even notice each other, wow, that guy's kind of doesn't have a whole lot of clothing. 00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:51.920 I mean, they just got in by their skinny chin-chin. 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:56.400 You know, and then others, you know, they they poured out and nobody cared. 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:08.480 Nobody cared that they were down there working with your kid and discipling your kid, and your kid isn't largely who they are now because that teacher down there in children's ministry really cared. 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:10.400 But he notices. 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:22.960 And some people are gonna be, they won't even, they'll be, it'll be hard for them to walk because there'll be so much linens and so much righteous acts on them because, and they were like, not even noticed on this earth. 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:27.200 Because we don't do it, listen, we don't do it to be noticed. 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:31.839 But he notices, he sees your righteous acts. 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:34.799 So do things quietly. 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:37.599 Do things where people don't notice. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:39.200 Just do them for Jesus. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:41.359 He notices. 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:47.359 And somehow we're gonna get dressed up by the righteous acts of the saints. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:53.680 Then he said to me, Write, blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper. 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:56.400 So here's the announcement or the invitation. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:14.720 Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and he said to me, These are the true sayings of God, and I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, See that you do not do that, I am your fellow servant, and of the brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:16.400 Worship God. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:17.759 Exclamation point. 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:23.119 For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:25.039 So here's the wedding anniversary. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:26.640 Here's the wedding announcement. 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:30.799 If you're a Jesus follower, disciple, this is your announcement. 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:38.480 If you don't know Jesus here, this is your invitation, because you don't want to go to the next supper that's about to occur in the latter part of this chapter. 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:40.960 So here's the announcement, the invitation. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:48.319 And he says that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:54.079 Meaning, church, that each one of us have a testimony. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:25:01.200 You have a testimony of Jesus in your life, and whenever you share that, it's Jesus. 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:07.279 It's not about you, it's about what Jesus did in you and through you. 00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:12.640 And a testimony of Jesus is at the very essence the spirit of prophecy. 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:16.720 And the prophetic is either forth telling or foretelling. 00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:19.039 It's either forth telling or foretelling. 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:30.000 And so sometimes there are prophetic words given in this church where people may come up to you and say, I feel like the Lord wants you to hear this word from the Lord. 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:32.000 And you test it with Scripture. 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:40.480 But at the end of the day, a true prophetic word is the testimony of Jesus. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:43.680 It lifts him up, it exalts him. 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:50.960 Whenever you share your testimony with someone or something that God's done in your life, it's about Jesus. 00:25:51.119 --> 00:26:01.200 And to the extent that it is closest to exalting in the hope and the power and the salvation of Jesus is the anointing that will be on it. 00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:09.839 And to the extent it's you bragging about yourself is the extent to which it won't have the full anointing of God. 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:18.079 But when we share the testimony of what Christ has done in our life, it's the testimony of Jesus. 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:20.079 That's exciting. 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:21.920 So share it. 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:24.319 Well, I don't, you know, I don't want to brag. 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:25.119 I don't want to brag. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:25.759 I don't want anybody. 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:30.000 No, brag! On him, not you. 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:33.440 And that's how you always judge a testimony, church. 00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:38.079 Is the person behind the mic or the person sharing the testimony, is it all about them? 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:40.240 That's okay. 00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:42.240 I mean, we're all in a journey. 00:26:43.359 --> 00:27:00.640 But but look for that, because if it's exalting Jesus, however eloquent or unineloquent or uneloquent or whatever that of the other antonym of whatever that word is, you know, is the anointing. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:02.160 And I want to be anointed. 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:02.640 How about you? 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:03.599 Life's too short. 00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:07.839 So let's exalt Christ in our testimony of Him. 00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:12.720 Well, now everything shifts. 00:27:12.880 --> 00:27:19.359 So first, this is kind of the announcement, but starting in verse 11 is the high point. 00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:25.119 Just if you got your if you got a hard-copy Bible in front of you, ought to write on the side, high point of the Bible. 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:33.359 High point of scripture, high point of all human history is verses 11 through 21. 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:35.759 I've got mine bracketed on my Bible. 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:37.279 The high point of the Bible. 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:54.559 Now I saw heaven open, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and he makes war. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:28:01.839 Now this is a different version of Jesus than what we've been taught in most of our Sunday schools. 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:13.200 This is not the meek, mild, humble Jesus who looks like a suntan surfer boy from Southern California. 00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:27.680 This is a warrior king who's come to judge sin, who has come to judge righteousness, and he is our king of kings, and he is our Lord of Lords. 00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:34.960 And this is a picture of a reigning king coming back from war on a white horse. 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:37.119 That's what reigning warrior kings rode. 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:38.160 They rode a white horse. 00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:39.839 He comes in on a white horse. 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:42.240 So there must be animals in heaven. 00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:45.599 I don't know how many times I've been asked that, but do you think there's animals in heaven? 00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:47.920 I said, Well, he's coming on a white horse. 00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:53.279 Seems like if there's horses, then there's probably whatever you want up there. 00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:55.920 So anyway, he comes in on a white horse. 00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:58.079 The armies of heaven are with him. 00:28:58.160 --> 00:28:58.559 That's us. 00:28:58.720 --> 00:28:59.759 We're going to be there. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:10.960 And he's riding in with those who've been captive to sin that are now set free in his train. 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:13.039 And he comes reigning. 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:18.079 It's interesting that the scripture talks about the Lord as a warrior. 00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:20.400