WEBVTT 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:06.240 So, church, we are studying the book of Revelation. 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:12.080 So, if you remember, this is John's poetic letter to seven churches. 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:19.519 It's that last book of the Bible that so many of us avoid because it's strange with weird language. 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:21.440 We can get lost in it a lot of times. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:23.440 A lot of views on the book of Revelation. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:25.280 Maybe you have a particular view. 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:27.039 We welcome you, glad you're here. 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:30.480 We're taking the covenantal, amillennial view. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:32.799 Big word, you don't even have to remember it. 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:35.759 But here's sort of what it means: a little bit of a summary. 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:45.200 Is that we see the end times of Revelation, that tribulation, we see that as being the suffering we're actually experiencing right now. 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:52.960 That John is describing life in between the first coming of Jesus and the second coming of Jesus, which is where we live right now. 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:58.880 And so when we talk about the suffering of the world, we're not talking about all of a sudden the end times just started right now. 00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:02.880 It's been since the first coming of Jesus, all the way to the second coming of Jesus. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:06.959 It's a world, it's a world that is not perfect. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:12.239 It's a world that has suffering, being beat down or shut up or pushed around. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:16.400 Doors closing over and over and over again. 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:25.680 Feeling like you're never enough, financial anxiety, a spouse that won't cooperate, loved ones who die, a loved one who's sick, a mother who won't talk to you. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:29.840 Your hair's falling out, all of a sudden hair starts to grow in your knuckles, which is destroyed. 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:34.319 It's like I can't grow it here, but then the knuckle all of a sudden, it's amazing how much hair you have. 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:36.560 It's like that's personal, but you know it's true. 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:37.920 You know it's true. 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:39.359 Your leg hurts. 00:01:39.519 --> 00:01:40.319 You don't know why. 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:41.519 Just started hurting. 00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:42.719 Can't figure that one out. 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:44.799 Your back hurts, your neck hurts. 00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:46.959 We still have wars. 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:53.760 There's genocides, there's still slavery, racism, divisions. 00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:55.519 Families not always easy. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:58.560 There's hurricanes, there's earthquakes, there's tornadoes. 00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:02.400 And then just the stuff going on inside of us. 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:13.120 It's like the mess of being a person, of anxiety or hurt, or old traumas, or your own sin, your own mistakes, your guilt, your shame, your fear. 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:16.080 So, hey, glad you came. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:17.439 I'm really happy you're here this morning. 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:20.000 You came for fifth grade graduation recognition. 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:21.199 Um, glad you're here. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:25.520 Well, before you walk out, let's head into Revelation 8, 1 through 4. 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:28.159 We're gonna cover a lot this morning, so I'm gonna be jumping through. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:31.439 We're actually covering chapter 8, 9, 10, and 11. 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:32.960 So I'm gonna summarize a bit. 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:39.360 If you want to dig in more on your own time, there's a great Bible study and commentary by John Stott of the book of Revelation. 00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:40.479 You can look into that. 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:42.159 Revelation 8, 1 through 4. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:46.879 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, now we've already talked about seals 1 through 6, okay? 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:48.639 So you gotta go back and listen to that. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:50.719 The Lamb opened the seventh seal. 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:53.439 So this is Christ, the Lamb, opening the seventh seal. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:57.840 These seals are these descriptions of what the world is like. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:03.360 Now, when this seal's open, this is different than 1 through 6, and that's why I held it for this week. 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:07.280 There was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:11.919 Then I saw these seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:14.000 So that's where we're headed to these trumpets. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:29.680 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense with all the prayers of the saints rose before God from the hand of the angel. 00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:34.879 Here's point number one, amidst all this symbolic language, poetry. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:37.520 John's a pastor, and he's a poet. 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:45.599 Point number one is this all of heaven stops as God listens to our hearts' praises and burdens. 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:53.919 The seventh seal's open, and what we get in this moment is that heaven, all this praise to God, it just stops. 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:58.719 All of heaven stops for your prayers and my prayers to be heard. 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:00.000 That's good news. 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:01.759 I have all sorts of prayers. 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:06.240 A lot of them are ridiculous, selfish, limited for sure, right? 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:07.360 Just like yours. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:11.039 But they are my burdens, they are my cares. 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:14.639 And it's such good news to know that God hears them. 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:16.079 He hears them. 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:27.920 And in time, often painfully slow, he guides and he fathers us toward the full restoration that one day we will know in heaven. 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:35.920 Two weeks ago, when I was on that Westside Elementary, fifth grade retreat with a few of you dads, I talked about it last week a little bit. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:37.120 It was the end of the first day. 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:41.040 Reed Weigel and I had a cabin full of fifth grade boys. 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:43.279 So it's the end of the first day. 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:50.079 We get in the cabin, we've run these kids, just run them to the ground outside with four square football and everything. 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:53.199 I mean, our theory, just get them as tired as possible before you get them in that cabin. 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:55.839 You know, because you don't want them with energy in the cabin. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:05:00.000 And we get in the cabin, they still have energy, you know, but we're like, there's not much left. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:01.439 We're pretty close to the end. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:03.279 And we're like, guys, please take showers. 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:04.560 You'll smell so horrible. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:09.040 You've got to go take, go take your showers, get on your pajamas, please take showers. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:09.600 Go. 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:15.759 And so they're showering up, they're putting on their pajamas, and finally, you know, I'm sitting on my bed, Reed's on his bed. 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:19.920 We've been ready for bed for like 20 minutes, just sitting there kind of waiting for them to calm down. 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:22.959 And let's call the boy Randy, because that's not his name. 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:32.879 And he goes over to his bed and he pulls back his sleeping bag, and there lay two long stinky socks. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:37.920 And Randy goes, which, by the way, are not his socks. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:45.040 Okay, that's key to this story, and which are the worst kinds of stinky socks, not your own, somebody else's. 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:50.720 And he goes, Oh, come on, guys, you know, you know, guys, who did Johnny? 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:51.759 Did you do this, Johnny? 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:53.199 Because it wasn't that's not the real name. 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:54.160 Johnny, did you do this? 00:05:54.319 --> 00:05:55.600 Johnny, did you put the stinky socks? 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:56.879 Johnny is laughing. 00:05:57.040 --> 00:06:05.199 Johnny's having a great time over in the corner as he's been waiting, and the rest of the cabin, they've been waiting for Randy to come over there, pull back the sleeping bag to see the stinky socks. 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:10.560 Read and I, and it's new to us, it's still pretty funny, but we gotta kind of hold back a little bit. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:14.959 We're holding back a little bit, but it's funny to put stinky socks in somebody's sleeping bag. 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:18.079 We're like, hey, Johnny, get the stinky socks. 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:24.160 Randy's over there, like, Johnny, you always do this, you know, and Johnny's having a great time, the other kids are laughing, right? 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:26.480 That's my point of view from the story. 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:28.160 That's just my point of view. 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:31.920 I didn't see Johnny put the stinky socks there, I didn't see other kids wait around. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:35.680 I don't know how Randy felt when he pulled it back and saw the stinky socks. 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:38.079 We could retell the story from Randy's point of view. 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:39.519 I could waste your time doing that. 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:43.600 I could waste your time retelling the story from Johnny's point of view, we could do that. 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:49.439 And that way of storytelling, like we said two weeks ago, is called recapsulation. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:49.920 Right? 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:52.319 Maybe you've read a novel that did this. 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:55.519 This is what John is doing in Revelation. 00:06:56.079 --> 00:07:08.240 He describes the world with these seals, and then he recapsulates, tells the same thing from a different point of view, a different angle, different perspective with trumpets. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:11.120 And then again, we're gonna do it with bowls. 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:16.720 And so that's what's going on here when we enter this idea of trumpets. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:33.040 Now, while the seals are about description of our pain in this world as believers, the new perspective that John takes when he tells it over again, when he heads into these trumpets, is the idea of a trumpet being a warning. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:43.439 So now the suffering of the world, the difficulty, the heartache, the hurt, the trauma, the sin, the shame, all of it that we deal with, now let's see it from the point of view as a warning. 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:49.519 Last night, Christy and I and some friends went to the Kenny Chesney concert. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:52.959 You know, a good cultural experience for us to go. 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:54.000 We went with some friends. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:55.279 We got there a bit late. 00:07:55.439 --> 00:08:07.279 We walked up to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and I mean, we're not even in the building, and you could hear and feel the music coming through all that steel and concrete. 00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:11.199 So, right, warning number one, it's gonna be loud. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:14.959 Okay, just real basic, nothing profound, but very clear. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:16.399 Warning number one. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:20.399 We walk in, Kenny Chesney concert. 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:22.240 No judgment, I'm there. 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:23.199 You're probably judging me. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:25.680 I don't know what's going on in your head, but no judgment for me. 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:38.879 But here's what we see when we walk in, right when we walk in by the concession stand, up against the wall, two adults, adults making out, just going for it. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:43.759 Like strong, really smooshed faces stuff. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:44.960 Really going for it. 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:48.480 So, warning number two, you're gonna see some things. 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:49.120 Okay? 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:52.639 You're at a Kenny Chesney concert, you're gonna see some stuff. 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:53.919 That's warning number two. 00:08:54.080 --> 00:09:07.759 And then Kenny comes out, he's working the crowd, and no matter how you felt, we all kind of know some of these songs, just walking around in the world or shopping in the world, you hear these songs, and before long, fifth, sixth song in, you're singing along. 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:09.360 You are caught up in it. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:12.000 Everybody is singing along. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:13.360 We can't even help it. 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:17.919 So there's this like warnings, heads up, here's where you're at, here's the reality of where you're at. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:21.600 And before long, you are wooed in, and before long, there's this sing along. 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:25.759 Strangely, don't overanalyze the illustration, please don't do that. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:28.159 Revelation 8 through 11, a little bit similar. 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:31.279 You have these warnings of the reality of where you're at. 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:33.519 That's what John's giving us, these warnings. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.120 Hey, here's where you're at. 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:37.279 Pay attention, here's some summaries. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:41.759 He's painting it for us with this symbolic language, these images. 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:48.399 And what we get is we get the first four trumpets, which symbolize the brokenness of the natural world. 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:50.720 We see that all over the place. 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:52.799 Here's how it breaks down. 00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:58.080 The first trumpet symbolizes the stricken earth and natural disasters. 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:06.480 The second trumpet symbolizes the stricken sea and financial need, uncertainty, and anxiety. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.679 Has anybody checked their investment account? 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:10.720 Right? 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:17.600 The third trumpet symbolizes the stricken river and affected natural resources. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:27.279 The fourth trumpet symbolizes the stricken sky, barbarian behavior, and humanity's lack of vision for what is right. 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:32.399 It's just a summary of the world, of the brokenness of the world. 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:34.799 And John's saying, hey, these are warnings. 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:36.240 These are warnings. 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:44.720 The final three trumpets symbolize the brokenness of people who live in and of the world. 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:47.440 So this is God's judgment on a sinful people. 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:49.679 Now that can be tough to swallow. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:53.519 After last week's sermon, I received an email from one of you. 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:57.120 Here was a really key sentence within the email. 00:10:57.279 --> 00:10:58.960 I thought it was profound. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:12.799 A core truth is God's wrath burns against injustice, including and especially my own, for my sake, and not against me for injustice's sake. 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:15.519 There's a lot in that sentence. 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:18.080 Here's what I think it means. 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:22.240 That God is just to burn against my injustice. 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:31.200 And that just burning against injustice, especially my own, that's in me, is actually for me. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:35.360 Because that injustice in me is broken. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:37.759 And it causes brokenness. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:42.159 And what kind of love doesn't burn against that kind of injustice? 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:46.480 Now we can go to the cross for our relief. 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:56.639 Because in the sufficiency of Christ's word for us, all of our injustice and our sin is handled by God's grace and God's love. 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:05.519 So we have a just God that handles our injustice upon himself, and that's why we always say God's grace is sufficient. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:13.600 And it's also why this same writer, John, when he summarizes God in 1 John, he says, God is love. 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:16.960 Revelation 9, 1 through 6. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:22.320 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth. 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:25.519 And he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:31.120 He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace. 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:34.559 And the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:40.639 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:43.360 Now don't get caught up thinking this is something to happen in the future. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:49.840 John's symbolically, poetically describing how what this life is like, suffering and evil in this world. 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:50.559 Verse 4. 00:12:50.720 --> 00:13:00.159 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green plant, or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:08.559 They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:12.639 And in those days, people will seek death and will not find it. 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:16.000 They will long to die, but death will flee from them. 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:20.399 So the fifth trumpet symbolizes the emergence of Satan. 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:26.559 We can think of Satan as a force or better a personhood of lies. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:29.519 It's the functioning of lies in the world. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:38.480 And yet John gives us a Satan limited in power and scope, that evil has a limitation upon it. 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:48.240 So we don't build or live a life of faith, of fear, but just recognition of the reality of evil in the world and falsehoods. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:52.240 And the reason why we don't is because we have verse four. 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:56.879 That in the middle of this warning, John gives us verse four. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:00.799 Because we remember who we belong to, that we've been marked. 00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:05.519 Obviously, I don't have anything on my forehead right now, and neither do you. 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:10.480 This is imagery of saying you are forever and always God's. 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:16.960 You're not your own, and you're not the devil's, you're not evils. 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:19.679 Your life doesn't have to be founded on falsehoods. 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:24.559 You are sealed, safe, and secure when you are in Christ, when you surrender to Him. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.960 Now the warning here is true. 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:35.759 The longer we fight to be our own Savior, the more we resist surrendering to God, the more torment we will know. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:42.639 Because it is exhausting to try to be your own God and your own creator and your own savior. 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:45.600 It's a trumpet call. 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:47.200 It's a warning. 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:51.759 You were created by God and for God. 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:57.519 The sixth trumpet blows, more of mankind is dying. 00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:08.879 And then John writes in Revelation 9, 20 and 21 the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of their works, of their hands, nor give up worshiping demons. 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:12.480 And you're going, ah, you know, I don't, maybe you struggle with that, I don't know. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:14.159 But this next part hits me. 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:19.840 And idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:29.840 See, we could just keep adding to that list and say, and houses and cars and investment accounts, which cannot see or hear or walk. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:36.000 Nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:41.360 So here's a group of people who just never turned to God, but to their creator. 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:49.200 Resisted all the warnings, all the wooing of God to Himself to say, I have all welcome for you and all love for you. 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:51.440 All my justice is even for you. 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:57.120 The six trumpets symbolizes the refusal of people to God's call. 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:03.039 Point number two, ultimate foolishness is desiring human independence. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:04.960 We could say autonomy. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:08.159 We could also say love of idols. 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:15.919 Ultimate foolishness is desiring human independence over relationship with God or over trust with God. 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:21.759 Now, just before the seventh trumpet, John tells two stories. 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:30.159 It's like John is constantly flipping back and forth through these chapters of giving a warning and then reassuring those who have a relationship with God and Jesus. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:40.159 The first story comes, and John tells a story about a large and splendid angel that comes down and legs straddle the earth and the sea. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:47.200 It's an image of Jesus being enough for all the hurting and the foolish of the world. 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:51.360 And then in Revelation 10, 8 through 11, we get this. 00:16:51.519 --> 00:17:01.120 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, Go take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who's standing on the sea and on the land. 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:12.240 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll, and he said to me, Take and eat it, it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:14.960 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:16.559 And it was sweet as honey in my mouth. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:20.079 But when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:26.960 Then it was told, You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:34.240 Here's the point we get out of it. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:36.480 The gospel's always bittersweet. 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:37.359 Right? 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:46.880 It's bittersweet for me to say, I or we are sinners, yet we're perfectly loved by God in Christ. 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:48.400 There's a bittersweet to that. 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:51.440 Well, it's really sweet to know you're loved perfectly by God. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:57.599 It's bitter to have to come to grips with the fact that we're not perfect and that we're sinners. 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:01.920 As well, the idea of being a Christian is bittersweet. 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:16.000 The idea of even sharing the gospel with somebody can be bittersweet because it's such good news and relief to somebody who's hurting or exhausted or in sin or they're ashamed or they're just struggling with condemnation or guilt, and yet at the same time that very person might reject it. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:18.319 And that's bittersweet. 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:21.599 John then tells the second story. 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:23.440 There's two witnesses. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:27.759 One is represented by olive tree, and the other by lampstand. 00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:31.440 Now, if you remember back to chapter one, lampstands symbolize the church. 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:32.799 So we have the church. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:37.839 Now we know from Zechariah chapter 4, olive trees represent those who serve the Lord. 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:39.839 So we have the church and those who serve the Lord. 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:46.799 John's being pastoral to any of us that are believers and that we're suffering. 00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:49.519 Or we have some fear of eternity. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:55.119 Or any of these warnings that might fear these churches when they read this letter. 00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:59.359 And John's just assuring them, saying, Hey, you are secure. 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:01.759 You are secure if you're in Christ. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:05.920 Revelation 11, 15 through 19. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:09.599 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, last trumpet. 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:17.359 And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:34.480 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God, and remember, the elders represent us, the church, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, and for you, have taken your great power and begun to reign. 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:49.119 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth. 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:51.599 Then God's temple in heaven was opened. 00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:54.319 The ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. 00:19:54.480 --> 00:20:00.079 There were flashes of lightning, rumbles, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:05.759 Seventh trumpet symbolizes the ushering in of a new existence of Shalom. 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:09.039 A new heaven for us one day. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:10.400 One day. 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:13.519 One day. 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:17.119 Point number four is this awe and gratitude. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:23.200 See, I don't know how much we're gonna be able to figure out everything and all that all that language. 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:25.680 I don't know how we're gonna be able to figure out all that. 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:27.680 But I do know this. 00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:35.839 Point number four, awe and gratitude is our response to seeing our God who seeks and redeems and restores. 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:38.640 That's the response of the heart. 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:45.200 On May 8th, just two weeks ago, maybe you saw this in the news. 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:53.920 U2's Bono and their guitarist, The Edge, they traveled to Kiev in Ukraine, into the war zone. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:59.279 They went down into the subway station where people have been living in the subway station. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:03.119 Here's a couple pictures of them in the subway station. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:05.680 To give these people a concert. 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:11.200 It's not even fair to say perform a concert, to give to these people the gift of music. 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:14.400 He opens with the song Sunday Bloody Sunday. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:22.640 I mean, that's a profound choice to open for these people who are living in a subway station in the middle of war. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:26.480 The amount of heartache, the loss, the trauma of these people. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:33.200 And you don't have to just think about these people and think, well, you know, this kind of talk is for people that are in that situation. 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:35.680 We don't have to comparatively suffer. 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:39.039 We don't have to do that for your heartache to be real. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:43.119 Because there's something going on in you, right? 00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:52.240 You have some loss or frustration or exhaustion, some shame, some guilt, something, some mess. 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:58.240 You want it so badly to be better or to be set right. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:03.680 I mean, Bono just showing up in the subway station. 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:07.440 That's enough for a whole sermon illustration. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:08.960 Just the idea. 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:11.519 He could be anywhere in the world. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:18.319 I mean, a man of wealth and power and prestige, and he goes to them. 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:26.160 He doesn't wait for them to have the ability to buy a ticket to come to his tour in a safe London, right? 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:27.039 No, no, no. 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:29.599 He goes to them in their pain. 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:32.160 What a gospel image for us. 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:34.880 He sought them in their pain. 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:37.839 He didn't wait for them to be able to afford it. 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:41.119 And then he sings to them. 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:42.720 Listen to the lyrics of the song. 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:43.519 He sang to them. 00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:45.440 He opened up with it. 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:50.000 How long, how long must we sing the song? 00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:51.759 How long, how long? 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:54.000 Wipe the tears from your eyes. 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:56.160 Wipe your tears away. 00:22:56.480 --> 00:22:58.160 I'll wipe your tears away. 00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:59.920 Sunday, bloody Sunday. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:02.799 We eat and drink while tomorrow they die. 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:08.880 The real battle just begun to claim the victory Jesus won. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:18.000 This is where John takes us over and over again in the book of Revelation. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:22.400 Because as believers, the warnings are real. 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:30.160 But what John is rooting us in is the sufficiency of Jesus, the comfort of that. 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:33.599 Over and over again for the suffering that we are in now. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:38.400 And for any reality of the day of our next life. 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:45.039 And where John takes us over and over again is the way that the elders are responding. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:46.880 Because remember, the elders are us. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:48.319 It's us. 00:23:48.960 --> 00:24:01.039 Revelation 4.11, they begin to sing, worthy are you, our Lord, and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:10.480 Remember when we sing, worthy are you, we're singing, Jesus, you have rightful and enough significance for my life. 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:13.920 You are befitting to my life. 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:20.000 See, that's the response when we hear the warnings of the trumpets. 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:21.839 It's for us to say, Worthy are you. 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:23.039 That's our response. 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:23.759 Worthy are you? 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:26.240 No, no, nothing else is, nobody else is. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:36.079 In chapter 5, the elders began to shout, 512, worthy is the Lamb who is slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. 00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:45.599 And then now here at the end of the trumpet warnings, again we find them, not a fear-filled church in response to warnings. 00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:48.559 No, they fall on their faces in worship. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:50.240 They proclaim thanksgiving. 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:51.519 1117. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:25:02.240 We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:04.160 Let's pray together. 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:10.880 God, we thank you that you warn us in your love. 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:21.119 That it is not warnings because you are vindictive, it is not warnings because you want to smite us or crush us or condemn us. 00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:25.759 No, it is warnings to woo us into your love and welcome. 00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:32.960 And that you lavishly love us, and even all of your justice upon our injustice is out of love for us. 00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:37.519 And help us to hear your call even more. 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:43.359 Help us to see the warnings of this world that we were made for something more than this world. 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:46.720 That's why our hearts desire and crave restoration. 00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:52.160 That we were made by you and we're made for you. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:26:09.359 Help us to be the repentant, that repent of all the behaviors in our lives that are broken, and all the motives of our hearts that are broken, and all the idols that we rely on that ultimately never deliver. 00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:27.039 And that we just keep running idol to idol, running in circles, and help us to finally surrender, give up to rest in you, to hear the words that you said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:30.079 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:30.880 Amen.