WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.199 My name's Brad O'Kelly. 00:00:01.280 --> 00:00:09.839 I'm one of the elders here at Christ the Redeemer, and it's a holiday weekend, so we're gonna bring up the JV to preach, and that's okay. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:10.800 Nothing wrong with that. 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:13.679 We love it, and uh I'll take any any chance I get. 00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:17.839 So um, you know, uh then we read the passage of scripture that he read today. 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:19.199 It's the first Sunday in Advent. 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:20.160 Maybe you're like me. 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:23.039 I was raised Southern Baptist, I had no idea what Advent was. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:23.679 We didn't celebrate. 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:26.079 We had an old lady named Miss Margaret lit some candles one time. 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:27.039 We didn't know what she was doing. 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:36.320 We were like, we thought like we thought either cataracts were acting up or you know, like she was mad because we didn't like the chandeliers weren't bright enough in the sanctuary or something. 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:41.840 We didn't know what was going on, and uh so but then we realized, hey, she actually knows what she's doing. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:45.840 You know, this is this is great, but we didn't we didn't do the whole Advent thing, we didn't know anything about it. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:50.719 So when Russ asked me to preach that and he's like, Oh, it's the first Sunday in Advent, and I'm like, yeah. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:52.960 All right, you know, great. 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:55.439 You should kind of pretend like you know what he's talking about, right? 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:55.920 Right, right. 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:58.240 And then you Google, what is Advent? 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:00.240 Um, so that's what I did. 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:07.280 So uh it's great because in the first Sunday in Advent, we're we're here, we're gonna really, you know, kind of dig into this thing. 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:11.680 We got a passage that's all about the second coming, it's gonna scare you to death, and then it's gonna bring you back. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:15.120 And it, I mean, it's just fun times for everybody, okay, this morning. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:16.319 Fun times for everybody. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:24.959 Just hang in there with me because by my watch, I think I've got about 17 minutes to walk you through this today and make sure that uh we get it all right. 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:28.319 So, congratulations, you showed up today for the JV. 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:30.159 Uh, you're gonna get a terrible sermon. 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:32.640 You're gonna leave here and go, why should I ever come back? 00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:37.359 Um, and then next week you'll come back and everything will be right with the world, and we'll go right back to what we're doing, okay? 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:39.359 So just promise me you'll show back up. 00:01:39.519 --> 00:01:42.000 Today, we're gonna drink out of the fire hose, all right? 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:45.519 Because here's what's gonna happen is uh we're gonna get started in this thing. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:48.879 There's some stuff in here that we got to walk all the way through the Bible to figure out. 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:52.879 Richard Williams is running the slides back there in the back, and he's a volunteer, and guess what? 00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:55.840 He's gonna earn every penny of the volunteer paycheck today. 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:57.200 Can promise you that. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:01:59.599 All right, so really don't worry about praying for me. 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:01.040 Pray for Richard today, okay? 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:03.920 Because I really kind of laid it on him uh big time. 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:04.879 Let's get into this thing. 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:05.280 You ready? 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:05.840 Let me pray for us. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:07.120 Father, thanks for today. 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:08.159 Thanks for your word. 00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:09.360 Thanks for Advent. 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:12.240 Thanks for all these people that are here today, Lord. 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:19.120 Uh forgive the message that's about to be preached to them, Lord, and let your word just pierce hearts in this room today. 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:20.479 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:21.360 Amen. 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:22.319 So here's the deal. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:24.560 Had to Google Advent, Google that. 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:29.280 We end up in Luke chapter 21 because we use what's called the gospel passage. 00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:30.159 I didn't know this. 00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:31.280 There's a lectionary. 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:33.120 I wouldn't know a lectionary if I had it in my hands. 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:34.000 I don't I don't know what it is. 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:40.159 All I know is Russ sent the link to me, and I click on the link, and it tells you, here's all these things about Advent that you're supposed to know. 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:45.840 So I look at it, and there's an Old Testament passage, there's a Psalms passage, there's a New Testament passage, and there's a gospel passage. 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:49.360 So I just kind of look through there and I'm like, you know, one of them was like Jeremiah's something. 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:50.560 I'm like, no, I'm not touching that. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:52.960 And then the other one was some psalm that I didn't really understand. 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:55.840 It's like all this poetry and all this stuff, and I'm going, yeah, I don't want to do that either. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:59.199 Then I look at the New Testament passage, I'm like, okay, I can probably get on board with that. 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:02.080 And then we get to the gospel stuff, and I'm like, this is way too hard. 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:03.360 I'll take that one. 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:04.479 I don't know why. 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:05.280 It was really dumb. 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:07.599 So here's what I figured out about Advent, though, okay? 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:08.639 I know there's Latin. 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:09.520 Figure that out. 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:12.960 It's Latin for Adventists, and here's what it means: arrival. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:16.879 Advent is all about the arrival of Christ. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:26.719 So as we lead up to the Christmas season, we are literally, in two ways, we are going to celebrate or rejoice in the arrival of Christ. 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:30.080 In one way, like I said, we're drinking out of the fire hose today, get ready. 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:32.639 In one way, it's commemorative. 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:35.520 We're commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:38.319 Born of a virgin, wrapped in swollen clothes, lying in a manger. 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:42.719 You know that wonderful passage that we all love to hear Charlie Brown talk about on the Christmas special. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:43.840 It's great. 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:46.639 We commemorate that birth of Christ. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:50.159 However, that's only a portion of Advent. 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:54.800 We also have to go into the second phase of Advent, which is expectation. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:57.439 And we go into a season of expectation. 00:03:57.599 --> 00:03:59.919 Why would Advent have a season of expectation? 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:11.599 Well, in case you didn't know, there's wonderful passages like Luke 21 that make us realize that we're not only celebrating the birth of the Savior, we also have to celebrate the fact that he's coming again. 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:20.800 There's a season of commemoration, commemorating the baby born of a virgin lying in a manger, and then there's a season of expectation. 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:28.079 Expecting that Christ will come again and will redeem his church for all eternity. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:30.959 That's what Advent's for. 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:33.439 That's why we celebrate this. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:36.319 All these years I've missed out on it, had no clue. 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:38.240 Thought it was about candles and some other stuff. 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:43.519 I didn't know what was going on, and now I realize there's actually an expectation that goes along with Advent. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:45.360 So look at Luke chapter 21. 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:48.399 Luke chapter 21, we're going to start in verse 25. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:59.199 It says, There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars and on the earth, dismay among nations and perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves. 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:01.680 How in the world did we even get here? 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:11.759 How do we get to the point where Jesus, now remember, these are the words of Jesus, how do we get to the point where Jesus is looking at his disciples and saying, Here's what's going to happen. 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:25.360 Well, if you go all the way back to the beginning of verse or chapter 21, you'll see that they're all standing, and Jesus sees this wonderful picture of a widow come to the temple and she gives all that she has as an offering in the temple. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:33.040 And the disciples are watching this, they're watching rich people pour in a ton of money, and they're watching this widow show up and she only gives a few pennies, and it's everything that she has. 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:35.920 And Jesus begins to teach his disciples about this. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.079 And then they pass by the temple. 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:44.480 And as they're passing by the temple, the disciples are looking out on the temple and they're going, how beautiful, how wonderful. 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:48.959 They're all commenting on the stones that the temple's built out of. 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:51.680 They're commenting on the ornate fixtures that are in the temple. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:52.879 They're doing all these things. 00:05:52.959 --> 00:06:00.800 And Jesus is standing there with them and he looks at the temple and he goes, There won't be a stone of this place left when I'm done with it. 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:06.720 And all of his disciples go, Wait, what? 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:11.279 What are you talking about? 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:31.279 And they kind of stroll on past the temple after Jesus says this, and they get a few more verses down, and in chapter 21 and verse 7, it's not on the screen today, but in verse 7, the disciples finally have had enough of the anguish that comes along with Jesus' statement, and they look at him and they go, So, about that whole temple thing, um exactly are you gonna do that? 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:39.279 And if you could go ahead and just kind of give us the time and the day and let us know what's gonna happen, that'd be great. 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:46.720 And Jesus begins to use chapter 21 to teach his disciples all about his return to gather his church. 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:58.480 And when we get to verse 25, it says, There'll be signs in sun and moon and stars and on earth, dismay among the nations and perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves. 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:04.160 If you really want to try to understand what these signs are gonna be, one of the great places to go is the book of Joel. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:08.639 I know all of you have studied in depth the book of Joel in the Bible. 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:12.480 And that if we had a Bible drill right now, you're not Baptist, you don't know what that is. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:19.040 If we had a Bible drill right now where y'all had to stand and open your Bibles and find the book of Joel, we would all fail. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:20.720 We would all fail. 00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:26.800 But the book of Joel literally goes through the second coming of Christ, and there's some great things in the book of Joel. 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:32.800 And in Joel chapter 2, verse 30 and 31, it gives us an idea of what this day's gonna look like. 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:35.279 The signs that we're supposed to see in the sun and moon and stars. 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:38.240 Look at Joel chapter 2, verse 30 and 31. 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:45.600 It says, I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire, and columns of smoke. 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:53.600 The sun will be turned into darkness, the moon into blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 00:07:54.079 --> 00:08:10.720 He goes on in chapter 3, verse 14 and 16, and he says, Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision, for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision, the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:17.360 The Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem. 00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:23.040 When the disciples look at Jesus in verse 7 and say, What are these things gonna look like? 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:42.080 And Jesus says, Well, there's gonna be signs in the sun and moon and stars that triggers in them the very things that they've been taught for their entire lives, and the fact that the coming Messiah is going to bring with him the complete opposite of what we think should be happening in the very nature that he created. 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:52.080 When we look at verse 25 and it says, There's signs in sun, moon, stars, earth, and among the nations, perplexity, the roaring of the sea, and the waves. 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:53.759 Let me ask you a question. 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:59.360 How much effort did we put in to creating any of those things? 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:11.919 Sun, moon, stars, seas, waves, nations, all of these things cannot be changed by earthly man. 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:18.799 It takes an act of an Almighty God to show what'll happen on that day. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:21.360 So, what does that mean for you and I? 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:27.279 Imagine what the kingdoms that we've built will look like when that happens. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:33.120 If the sun, moon, and stars go dark. 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:36.000 Look at verse 26. 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:46.080 It says, Men fainting from fear and the expectations of things which are coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:50.480 Men fainting, people fainting with fear. 00:09:51.840 --> 00:09:53.679 Has anybody ever fainted before? 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:56.000 I thought I was going to one time. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:59.200 I didn't, but I thought I was going to. 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:01.120 It's a weird feeling, right? 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:02.399 It's strange. 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:04.559 You know why I thought I was gonna faint? 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:06.240 Because I had to run. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:12.399 Laugh it up. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.240 So we got like marathon runners in here, by the way. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:18.559 I ran like a hundred yards one time. 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:19.759 And I was like, oh. 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:24.399 You know, like I don't know why. 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:26.639 Why do you do that to yourself? 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:27.360 Why? 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:29.919 Why put yourself through the anguish of running? 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:32.159 I saw all these people running in the gobble jug. 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:34.639 This pastor, I'm like, what are you doing? 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:39.279 Go and eat your weight and stuffing. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:42.399 Stop exercising. 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:44.559 What's wrong with you? 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:57.440 And when I when I read this verse and when I see men fainting from the things that are happening, from not only from things that are happening within the very nature that God created, but what does the Bible say in verse 26? 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:05.840 From fear and the expectations of the things which are coming upon the world. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:10.720 The book of Revelation has some great insight to this in Revelation chapter 6. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:13.919 Revelation chapter 6 and verse 15 through 17. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:15.039 And here's what it says. 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:46.879 It says, The kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the presence of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath is come, and who is able to stand. 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:54.399 When Jesus Christ looks at his disciples and says, There will be men feigning from fear. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:14.799 What we're talking about is literally men and women running to caves and rocks and mountains and begging for them to fall on them to extinguish the Lord's power on that day. 00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:19.840 But there's a difference. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:25.519 There's a difference from the people that faint and from a separate group of people. 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:39.200 Because in Isaiah chapter 40 and verse 31, the Bible says, Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:46.240 They'll mount up with wings like eagles, they'll run and not get tired, they'll walk and not think. 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:52.639 Do you understand the difference between these two groups of people? 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:58.799 One waits in expectation of the day of the Lord, the very thing that Advent teaches us to do. 00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:05.840 The other runs to the mountain and begs for the mountain to fall on it and end the very day that's happening. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:10.240 Look at verse 27. 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:16.159 It says, Then they'll see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:27.759 In your Bible, if you have a Bible today, in your Bible, or maybe even, I don't know if it's like this on the screens, but maybe it's italicized, maybe it's all caps, maybe there's a section in there that just looks different in verse 27. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:30.639 And the reason is because it's a direct quote. 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:34.080 Jesus is quoting the book of Daniel. 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:37.919 And he's putting this out before his disciples, quoting the book of Daniel. 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:39.200 Where does the quote come from? 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:43.600 It comes from Daniel chapter 7 and verse 13 and 14. 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:52.080 Daniel chapter 7, verse 13 and 14 says, I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one, like a son of man coming. 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:55.360 And he came up to the ancient of days and was presented before him. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:14:04.159 And to him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nation, and men of every language might serve him. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:14.720 His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away, and his kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:21.519 This is what Jesus quotes to his very disciples in verse 27. 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:27.360 He looks at them and he says, They will see the Son of Man, which is just a great title, right? 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:32.000 Why would Jesus refer to himself as the Son of Man in this passage of Scripture? 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:34.320 And he does it over and over again in the New Testament. 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:38.080 Well, number one, it's an Old Testament term from the book of Daniel. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:40.159 And he looks at the people and he says, the Son of Man. 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:44.960 And what it does is it draws him in and connects him with the very people that he's talking to. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:47.679 It speaks to his earthly dominion. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:51.919 It speaks to him being fully human and fully God at the very same time. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:58.000 And what he does is he says, the Son of Man will come in the clouds just to reference back to Daniel. 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:00.399 Why would he need to do that to his own disciples? 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:12.320 To let them know that while I'm fully man and standing with you in this moment, there will be a day when I come on the clouds, just like the Old Testament said I would. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:23.919 It's a picture of Jesus fulfilling every single word of scripture that has been written. 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:31.200 The beauty of this passage. 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:33.679 We could leave it there. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:34.879 You guys want to leave it there? 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:36.320 You want to just close it out? 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:36.960 Let's see. 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:38.720 So far we've been crushed by mountains. 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:46.480 Um we've uh we've gone through this Old Testament thing, the skies are gonna split, we're all gonna be uh sun and moon and stars, we're all gonna go dark, it's gonna be really great. 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:47.840 We're gonna have a great time. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:50.000 Um, all of this stuff's gonna happen. 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:52.720 We've got all of these terrible things, and we could leave it. 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:55.360 We could just leave it right there and go, there you go. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:57.759 Happy Christmas, everybody. 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:03.759 And you'd leave here and go, I will never come back to that place ever again. 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:08.080 But the beauty is that Jesus is not done. 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:12.720 The beauty is this is that we have verse 28. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:14.639 We have verse 28. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:15.200 You ready? 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:16.639 This is great. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:22.639 But when these things begin to take place, remember, this is Jesus. 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:35.440 Straighten up, lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near. 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:49.679 How in the world do we straighten up in this day, this day of absolute calamity, where the world literally speaks to the fact that a Savior is returning from glory together his church. 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:51.759 How do we straighten up our heads in that day? 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:55.279 And Paul paints a beautiful picture of this in Ephesians. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:56.720 This is the best part. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:57.039 You ready? 00:16:57.120 --> 00:16:57.600 This is the best part. 00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:58.240 I gotta find it. 00:16:58.320 --> 00:16:59.039 Hold on. 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:05.279 Ephesians chapter 1, verse 7 through 10. 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:06.000 You ready? 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:11.359 In him we have redemption. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:12.960 How? 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:28.640 Through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace, which he has lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:39.680 He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his kind intention, which he purposed in him, with a view to the administration suitable to the fullness of times. 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:50.160 That is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens, things on the earth in him. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:18:03.200 Do you realize that when Jesus looks at his disciples in this moment and speaks of all this calamity that's gonna happen, when he looks at his disciples and says, it's not gonna be the best day in the world, I can promise you that. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:12.400 And there's some that really are not gonna like it very much, but he says, In that day, you straighten up, you raise your head, you look up. 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:12.960 Why? 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:15.359 Because your redemption is drawing near. 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:17.359 How is our redemption drawing near? 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:24.000 Because of the very blood of Jesus Christ that is shed for us. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:33.039 Paul literally says in Ephesians that not only was it shed for us, it was lavished on us. 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:37.680 Heaped and heaped and heaped on us. 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:38.400 Why? 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:41.920 For the forgiveness of our trespasses. 00:18:43.039 --> 00:19:00.799 So that on this day we're not fainting away, we're not hiding in the rocks, we're not concerned that the sun and the moon and stars go dark because our heads are lifted high in expectation of a coming Savior in Jesus Christ. 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:09.759 Friends, you don't have to leave here today in fear of that day. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:23.519 You can walk out of this room, heads held high, knowing that by placing saving faith in Jesus Christ, your redemption is drawing near. 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:30.559 And it is through his blood lavished on you. 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:48.640 Then on that day, we lift our eyes to the sky and we wait for heaven and all of earth to roar as Jesus comes together in his father.