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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - No More Tears

March 29, 2025 | 27:29

Allen Jackson - No More Tears
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#Faith #TrustGod #Pastors #WalkwithGod #Christianity #Religion #Truth #Encouragement #WordofGod #AllenJacksonMinistries #AllenJackson

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - No More Tears | March 29, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen jackson: the first few chapters the book of revelation
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  • Dealt with the present, the seven churches in asia minor
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  • That john was familiar with.
  • 00:00:12.228 --> 00:00:12.695
  • The middle section dealt with that season that was ahead
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  • Of him.
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  • The last couple of chapters deal with the distant future, the
  • 00:00:17.233 --> 00:00:19.803
  • Ultimate judgment, the establishment of christ reigning
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  • On earth.
  • 00:00:22.639 --> 00:00:25.075
  • That distant future has gotten a lot shorter.
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  • John saw that vision 2,000 years ago.
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  • But i think so often we're afraid of the book
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  • Of revelation.
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  • I just wanna-- i want you to see the angels, their strength,
  • 00:00:34.050 --> 00:00:36.786
  • Their power, the prominent role they play.
  • 00:00:36.786 --> 00:00:39.155
  • The book of revelation is not the story of the destruction of
  • 00:00:39.155 --> 00:00:41.624
  • The antichrist, or satan, or the false prophet.
  • 00:00:41.624 --> 00:00:44.327
  • It's the story of god, through his angels and jesus the lamb,
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  • Bringing his judgment and his kingdom into this world.
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  • It's a description of a birth.
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  • It's a wonderful story.
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  • In fact, if i had to give you a summary for those last three
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  • Chapters, i would do it with this: something good's gonna
  • 00:01:00.777 --> 00:01:03.146
  • Happen to you.
  • 00:01:03.146 --> 00:01:05.081
  • Something good is gonna happen to you.
  • 00:01:05.081 --> 00:01:06.483
  • Some of you won't read revelation 'cause it's scary.
  • 00:01:06.483 --> 00:01:08.418
  • Somethin' good is gonna happen to you.
  • 00:01:08.418 --> 00:01:11.421
  • It is.
  • 00:01:11.421 --> 00:01:14.958
  • Revelation chapter 18, and verse 1, "i saw another angel coming
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  • Down from heaven."
  • 00:01:18.528 --> 00:01:19.896
  • He's seen a lot of angels by this point.
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  • "this angel had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by
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  • His splendor."
  • 00:01:26.035 --> 00:01:27.403
  • Wow!
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  • I mean, by this point, john has seen millions of angels, but
  • 00:01:28.972 --> 00:01:32.075
  • This particular one, he said, "i understood that he had great
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  • Authority and his presence illuminated the whole earth."
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  • Do you have an imagination of angels like that?
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  • Revelation 20, verse 1, "i saw an angel coming down out
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  • Of heaven.
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  • He had the key to the abyss and he held in his hand a
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  • Great chain.
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  • He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the
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  • Devil or satan, and he bound him for 1,000 years."
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  • An angel with god's authority to bind satan.
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  • Whoo hoo!
  • 00:02:00.970 --> 00:02:06.809
  • "he threw him into the abyss, and locked it, and sealed it
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  • Over him to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore
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  • Until the thousand years were ended."
  • 00:02:11.080 --> 00:02:14.184
  • Next chapter, revelation 21, "i saw a new heaven and a new
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  • Earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away
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  • And there was no longer any sea."
  • 00:02:21.191 --> 00:02:23.726
  • You know, in general, as a race, we don't like change.
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  • Oh, come on.
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  • You know, we like home cooking.
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  • We like our favorite pair of blue jeans.
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  • We like the way we've always done it.
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  • I know you do 'cause you sit in the same space every
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  • Week, right?
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  • I mean, if i really want to mess with ya, and occasionally i'll
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  • Do it, i'll have somebody to sit in your favorite seat and then i
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  • Just watch you.
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  • For real.
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  • I mean, i'll take my space, you'll walk in, and you'll go...
  • 00:03:00.630 --> 00:03:09.172
  • I can watch.
  • 00:03:12.542 --> 00:03:13.910
  • You're trying to decide if in jesus's name you can evict them.
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  • You know, change is just not our favorite thing.
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  • Even when they're good changes, when we've-- the church has
  • 00:03:24.554 --> 00:03:26.823
  • Grown and, we've reached new people, and there's more
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  • Children in our classes, and there is evidence that god is
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  • Changing lives, the people that were here before you got here
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  • Are goin'...
  • 00:03:34.797 --> 00:03:39.669
  • "praise the lord."
  • 00:03:39.669 --> 00:03:44.240
  • You know, it's almost as if, "well, i've found my space.
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  • Let them go find their own."
  • 00:03:46.409 --> 00:03:49.078
  • Because we understand intuitively that change means
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  • That we can't maintain our routines and there could even be
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  • Some things asked of us.
  • 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:00.256
  • So when we read this first sentence in revelation 21, "i
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  • Saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and
  • 00:04:03.626 --> 00:04:05.695
  • The first earth had passed away," i think there's something
  • 00:04:05.695 --> 00:04:10.099
  • Even below our conscious level that goes, "i'm not sure this
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  • Is good.
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  • I might be against this.
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  • Is there gonna be fried chicken in the new heaven and the
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  • New earth?"
  • 00:04:20.343 --> 00:04:23.079
  • It says, "i saw the holy city, the new jerusalem, coming down
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  • Out of heaven from god, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed
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  • For her husband.
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  • And i heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, 'now the
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  • Dwelling of god is with men, and he will live with them.
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  • They'll be his people and god himself will be with them and be
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  • Their god.'"
  • 00:04:39.228 --> 00:04:40.596
  • I'm thinkin' this sounds like an upgrade.
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  • Look at verse 4, "he'll wipe every tear from their eyes.
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  • There'll be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain,
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  • For the old order of things has passed away."
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  • Something good is gonna happen to you.
  • 00:04:55.912 --> 00:05:04.420
  • "and he who was seated on the throne said, 'i'm making
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  • Everything new.
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  • Write this down, these words are trustworthy and they're true.'
  • 00:05:07.590 --> 00:05:10.393
  • And he said to me, 'it's done.
  • 00:05:10.393 --> 00:05:13.262
  • I'm the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.'"
  • 00:05:13.262 --> 00:05:15.098
  • It's the beginning and the end of the alphabet.
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  • "to him who is thirsty, i will give to drink without cost from
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  • The spring of the water of life."
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  • If you've got a pen, you oughta circle that little phrase, "the
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  • Spring of the water of life."
  • 00:05:25.808 --> 00:05:27.944
  • You can read past it right there and think it's metaphorical.
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  • It's kinda poetic.
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  • But i believe it's grounded in reality more than that.
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  • Verse 7 is an important key in this passage.
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  • It says, "he who overcomes will inherit all of this."
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  • The person who inherits this is the overcomer.
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  • Revelation is a disruptive book.
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  • Judgments, announcements, insights, all sorts of things.
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  • The seven churches each get a message at the beginning in the
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  • Book that says they'll have to overcome.
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  • The book is written to the broader church, church with a
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  • Capital c, and when we get to the triumphant chapters of the
  • 00:05:57.874 --> 00:06:00.410
  • Establishment of the kingdom of god on earth, it says the one
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  • Who will inherit this is the one who overcomes.
  • 00:06:03.079 --> 00:06:05.081
  • Overcoming presupposes obstacles, difficulties,
  • 00:06:05.081 --> 00:06:10.386
  • Hurdles, inconveniences, unwanted things.
  • 00:06:10.386 --> 00:06:15.858
  • "i'll be his god and he'll be my son.
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  • But the cowardly--" what's the opposite of being an overcomer?
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  • Cowardice.
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  • Cowardice is the choice is to not confront, to not stand,
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  • To yield.
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  • There's always a reason for it.
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  • We'll push it through the logical formulas that we can
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  • Find that give us the outcome that we are preferring.
  • 00:06:37.013 --> 00:06:40.283
  • The challenge is to be led by the spirit of god to understand
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  • When we're supposed to stand and when we're not.
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  • We don't always stand in defiance.
  • 00:06:44.687 --> 00:06:47.590
  • When the angels released peter from prison in the book of acts,
  • 00:06:47.590 --> 00:06:50.026
  • He was slated for execution very soon and he'd been in prison for
  • 00:06:50.026 --> 00:06:52.895
  • Several days, and god sent an angelic contingent to unlock his
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  • Chains, to silence the soldiers around him, to open the prison
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  • Doors before him.
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  • They opened. he didn't open them.
  • 00:07:01.137 --> 00:07:02.572
  • They were open before him. he saw one angel.
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  • I'm quite certain there were many present.
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  • He went and found the believers who were praying for him, an
  • 00:07:08.144 --> 00:07:10.213
  • All-night prayer meeting, and when he got there, he knocks on
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  • The door.
  • 00:07:12.181 --> 00:07:13.549
  • And it took a little while, there were some
  • 00:07:13.549 --> 00:07:14.884
  • Communication challenges.
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  • They were praying for him to get out of prison, but when he got
  • 00:07:17.620 --> 00:07:19.489
  • Out of prison, they didn't believe it was him.
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  • Isn't it good to know we're with that crew?
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  • Are you ever surprised when god moves?
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  • I am.
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  • I'm like, "well, i've prayed, but--" but what peter said to
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  • Them is what always captures my emotion.
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  • He said, "tell the brothers i'm leaving town."
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  • And there's been multiple occasions prior to that in the
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  • Book of acts when they'd be released from prison or
  • 00:07:41.377 --> 00:07:44.080
  • Delivered from a threat and the angels would say to them, "go
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  • Back to the temple mount.
  • 00:07:46.616 --> 00:07:47.950
  • Finish the sermon that they interrupted."
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  • But not this day.
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  • Peter says, "tell the brothers i'm leaving.
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  • I'm not abandoning the message."
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  • He stays in the story.
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  • So when i say that we're called to stand, we need god's wisdom.
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  • It's not that we're just permanently belligerent.
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  • We need god's wisdom.
  • 00:08:04.834 --> 00:08:06.168
  • "to him who overcomes will inherit all of this, but the
  • 00:08:06.168 --> 00:08:08.170
  • Cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the
  • 00:08:08.170 --> 00:08:10.540
  • Sexually immoral, who practice magic arts, the idolaters,
  • 00:08:10.540 --> 00:08:14.710
  • The liars."
  • 00:08:14.710 --> 00:08:16.279
  • You see, i think it takes courage to follow the lord.
  • 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:18.848
  • It takes courage to take the truth of god and say, "i will
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  • Own that for myself."
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  • Forget somebody else.
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  • It begins with a personal decision.
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  • And if we don't-- if we're not willing to demonstrate the
  • 00:08:26.489 --> 00:08:28.391
  • Courage it takes to choose the truth for ourselves, the rest of
  • 00:08:28.391 --> 00:08:31.627
  • That list finds its way into our behaviors.
  • 00:08:31.627 --> 00:08:35.865
  • Well, we may still sit in churches.
  • 00:08:35.865 --> 00:08:38.167
  • We may sing the songs and carry our bibles.
  • 00:08:38.167 --> 00:08:40.102
  • We may even read bibles, and lead groups, and do all sorts of
  • 00:08:40.102 --> 00:08:42.538
  • Things, but the rest of those behaviors creep into our lives.
  • 00:08:42.538 --> 00:08:48.010
  • And the warning there-- there's still a warning.
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  • I'm amazed at the grace and the mercy of god.
  • 00:08:50.012 --> 00:08:51.847
  • We're coming to the most triumphant chapters in all of
  • 00:08:51.847 --> 00:08:53.783
  • The bible and god is saying there's gonna be a point
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  • Of judgment.
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  • If you've gotten this far into the story and you still haven't
  • 00:08:58.754 --> 00:09:01.357
  • Righted the ship, there's going to be a point of judgment.
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  • Please don't live casually.
  • 00:09:05.261 --> 00:09:07.263
  • Don't live presumptively.
  • 00:09:07.263 --> 00:09:08.998
  • I don't want you to live in fear or under the threat.
  • 00:09:08.998 --> 00:09:11.133
  • God is a god of mercy and grace, but he's not sloppy.
  • 00:09:11.133 --> 00:09:18.007
  • Revelation 22, "then the angel showed me the river of the water
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  • Of life."
  • 00:09:22.178 --> 00:09:23.512
  • Remember i asked you to circle a minute ago, "the spring of the
  • 00:09:23.512 --> 00:09:25.247
  • Water of life"?
  • 00:09:25.247 --> 00:09:26.582
  • Now the angel, the messenger, the ministering spirit that
  • 00:09:26.582 --> 00:09:30.386
  • Helps us, is gonna show john the river of the water of life.
  • 00:09:30.386 --> 00:09:34.523
  • "as clear as crystal, it flows from the throne of god and the
  • 00:09:34.523 --> 00:09:37.259
  • Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city."
  • 00:09:37.259 --> 00:09:40.363
  • You know, you'll see that one day.
  • 00:09:40.363 --> 00:09:44.300
  • "on each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing 12
  • 00:09:44.300 --> 00:09:46.869
  • Crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
  • 00:09:46.869 --> 00:09:49.105
  • And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
  • 00:09:49.105 --> 00:09:52.041
  • No longer will there be any curse.
  • 00:09:52.041 --> 00:09:53.442
  • The throne of god and the lamb will be in the city and the
  • 00:09:53.442 --> 00:09:55.544
  • Servants will serve him."
  • 00:09:55.544 --> 00:09:57.713
  • I think that's a change we could stand.
  • 00:09:57.713 --> 00:10:04.587
  • Revelation 22, same chapter, "john, the one who heard and saw
  • 00:10:00.750 --> 00:10:08.791
  • These things, when i'd heard and seen them, i fell down to
  • 00:10:08.791 --> 00:10:11.527
  • Worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them
  • 00:10:11.527 --> 00:10:13.529
  • To me."
  • 00:10:13.529 --> 00:10:14.864
  • Makes sense.
  • 00:10:14.864 --> 00:10:16.332
  • What an amazing journey.
  • 00:10:16.332 --> 00:10:17.667
  • What an amazing insight he's been given.
  • 00:10:17.667 --> 00:10:20.269
  • He's seen the throne of heaven.
  • 00:10:20.269 --> 00:10:21.604
  • He's seen a hundred million angels.
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  • He's seen what was to come in the future.
  • 00:10:24.206 --> 00:10:27.543
  • So he falls down at the feet of the one who has been his--
  • 00:10:27.543 --> 00:10:30.780
  • Guiding him through this revelation.
  • 00:10:30.780 --> 00:10:33.616
  • "but he said to me, 'don't do it.
  • 00:10:33.616 --> 00:10:36.252
  • I'm a fellow servant with you.'"
  • 00:10:36.252 --> 00:10:39.388
  • I want you to hear that for just a minute.
  • 00:10:39.388 --> 00:10:41.023
  • Do you know there are angels serving with you?
  • 00:10:41.023 --> 00:10:44.593
  • Never feel alone.
  • 00:10:44.593 --> 00:10:47.129
  • Maybe you hear the news or you hear people in powerful
  • 00:10:47.129 --> 00:10:50.566
  • Positions mocking god.
  • 00:10:50.566 --> 00:10:53.302
  • You see expressions of evil that seem to be supported by enormous
  • 00:10:53.302 --> 00:10:56.939
  • Resources or all sorts of stuff.
  • 00:10:56.939 --> 00:10:58.974
  • Whatever it is that makes you feel isolated and alone, i tell
  • 00:10:58.974 --> 00:11:03.012
  • Ya, i find tremendous comfort and real courage in that one
  • 00:11:03.012 --> 00:11:06.916
  • Little insight.
  • 00:11:06.916 --> 00:11:08.250
  • The angel said, "i'm a fellow servant with you."
  • 00:11:08.250 --> 00:11:09.952
  • You know, there's angels serving with me.
  • 00:11:09.952 --> 00:11:13.889
  • I'm not just some hillbilly preacher.
  • 00:11:13.889 --> 00:11:17.460
  • Well, i mean, there's some serving with you too, but hey.
  • 00:11:17.460 --> 00:11:23.032
  • "i'm a fellow servant with you, and with your brothers, and the
  • 00:11:23.032 --> 00:11:26.969
  • Prophets, and all who keep the words of this book worship god."
  • 00:11:26.969 --> 00:11:34.310
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:11:34.310 --> 00:11:39.648
  • Allen: i believe god is moving in the earth
  • 00:11:41.083 --> 00:11:42.818
  • In an unprecedented way, and at the heart of that
  • 00:11:42.818 --> 00:11:45.588
  • Is an awakening, it's a shaking.
  • 00:11:45.588 --> 00:11:48.090
  • And in that shaking, there's a shifting.
  • 00:11:48.090 --> 00:11:49.792
  • There are people falling through the cracks, and there are people
  • 00:11:49.792 --> 00:11:51.761
  • Becoming more alert and aware of what god is doing.
  • 00:11:51.761 --> 00:11:54.764
  • At the heart of that is the acknowledgement,
  • 00:11:54.764 --> 00:11:57.066
  • The realization that spiritual forces shape our lives.
  • 00:11:57.066 --> 00:12:01.704
  • Folks, this isn't for the lunatic fringe.
  • 00:12:01.704 --> 00:12:03.806
  • This isn't for the hyper-spiritual people.
  • 00:12:03.806 --> 00:12:06.876
  • This is the stuff of the bible, and it better be the stuff of
  • 00:12:06.876 --> 00:12:09.311
  • Our lives or we are in a tremendous deficit position.
  • 00:12:09.311 --> 00:12:13.883
  • Well, i've written a book, "angels, demons, & you,"
  • 00:12:13.883 --> 00:12:16.452
  • Simply a biblical review of those spiritual forces that are
  • 00:12:16.452 --> 00:12:19.588
  • Impacting us today.
  • 00:12:19.588 --> 00:12:21.157
  • There's a battle in the earth, and it's not between armies
  • 00:12:21.157 --> 00:12:24.093
  • Wearing the labels of nations or terrorist groups.
  • 00:12:24.093 --> 00:12:26.896
  • It's a spiritual battle.
  • 00:12:26.896 --> 00:12:28.531
  • If you don't understand, if you don't understand the equipment
  • 00:12:28.531 --> 00:12:31.100
  • And the authority you've been given, you are at a tremendous
  • 00:12:31.100 --> 00:12:34.670
  • Position of forfeiture.
  • 00:12:34.670 --> 00:12:36.705
  • Don't live that way.
  • 00:12:36.705 --> 00:12:38.374
  • "angels, demons, & you," you need the solution.
  • 00:12:38.374 --> 00:12:41.577
  • Female announcer: loneliness, depression, despair,
  • 00:12:41.577 --> 00:12:44.413
  • They all have a spiritual origin.
  • 00:12:44.413 --> 00:12:46.582
  • We're in a spiritual battle, and the forces of evil
  • 00:12:46.582 --> 00:12:49.318
  • Stand against us.
  • 00:12:49.318 --> 00:12:50.986
  • But we don't need to be afraid. we need to prepare.
  • 00:12:50.986 --> 00:12:54.190
  • Allen: jesus said the children have angels assigned to them
  • 00:12:54.190 --> 00:12:56.892
  • That have the father's attention.
  • 00:12:56.892 --> 00:12:58.227
  • It's safe to say that in the kingdom of god, there are
  • 00:12:58.227 --> 00:13:01.096
  • Spiritual beings in significant number.
  • 00:13:01.096 --> 00:13:06.335
  • And they're ministering spirits, the bible says,
  • 00:13:06.335 --> 00:13:08.204
  • Sent forth to help us.
  • 00:13:08.204 --> 00:13:10.539
  • They're messengers.
  • 00:13:10.539 --> 00:13:11.874
  • They fill the pages of scripture, and yet we tend to
  • 00:13:11.874 --> 00:13:14.109
  • Kind of imagine as if it's peripheral, secondary, that you
  • 00:13:14.109 --> 00:13:17.847
  • Could be a christ follower, not really be engaged or have to
  • 00:13:17.847 --> 00:13:20.382
  • Imagine spiritual forces.
  • 00:13:20.382 --> 00:13:22.618
  • "we believe in organization."
  • 00:13:22.618 --> 00:13:25.387
  • Well, so do i.
  • 00:13:25.387 --> 00:13:27.289
  • I like a good plan and i like an organization that is run
  • 00:13:27.289 --> 00:13:30.125
  • Well, but i don't want to--it's not an either/or equation and i
  • 00:13:30.125 --> 00:13:33.762
  • Certainly don't want to exchange the power of god and the
  • 00:13:33.762 --> 00:13:37.700
  • Spiritual help that he's made available to us for the
  • 00:13:37.700 --> 00:13:40.369
  • Imagination that we can out-organize evil.
  • 00:13:40.369 --> 00:13:42.671
  • Announcer: pastor allen's new book, "angels, demons, & you,"
  • 00:13:42.671 --> 00:13:45.507
  • Offers compelling biblical evidence about angels and demons
  • 00:13:45.507 --> 00:13:49.612
  • And their roles in the heavens, on earth, and in our lives.
  • 00:13:49.612 --> 00:13:53.883
  • It answers the questions you want to know.
  • 00:13:53.883 --> 00:13:56.752
  • Learn what the bible has to say about angels, demons, and
  • 00:13:56.752 --> 00:13:59.722
  • Spiritual warfare.
  • 00:13:59.722 --> 00:14:01.590
  • Gain helpful insight that will help you identify and remove
  • 00:14:01.590 --> 00:14:05.127
  • Evil from your life.
  • 00:14:05.127 --> 00:14:06.862
  • Find practical tools and biblical truth that will help
  • 00:14:06.862 --> 00:14:09.732
  • You align your beliefs more fully with god's word.
  • 00:14:09.732 --> 00:14:13.002
  • "angels, demons, & you" will help you recognize the spiritual
  • 00:14:13.002 --> 00:14:16.605
  • Battle around you so you can live without fear and stand firm
  • 00:14:16.605 --> 00:14:20.009
  • In your faith.
  • 00:14:20.009 --> 00:14:21.477
  • Allen: this is our season in time to be a difference maker
  • 00:14:21.477 --> 00:14:23.612
  • For the kingdom of god, and that's a spiritual assignment.
  • 00:14:23.612 --> 00:14:27.549
  • Announcer: request your copy when you donate $30 or more
  • 00:14:27.549 --> 00:14:30.653
  • At allenjackson.com or by calling...
  • 00:14:30.653 --> 00:14:36.959
  • Announcer: it's going to be an amazing spring at world
  • 00:14:41.096 --> 00:14:43.265
  • Outreach church, and you're invited to be part of it all.
  • 00:14:43.265 --> 00:14:46.568
  • Join us in tennessee for easter weekend
  • 00:14:46.568 --> 00:14:48.871
  • And our spring festival, kicking off
  • 00:14:48.871 --> 00:14:51.040
  • Saturday april 12 and running through sunday april 27.
  • 00:14:51.040 --> 00:14:54.877
  • Worship with musical guest artists crowder,
  • 00:14:54.877 --> 00:14:57.713
  • Charity gayle, matthew west, franni cash, and the katinas.
  • 00:14:57.713 --> 00:15:01.784
  • Hear special messages from pastor allen jackson.
  • 00:15:01.784 --> 00:15:04.486
  • Enjoy fun activities for the whole family,
  • 00:15:04.486 --> 00:15:07.022
  • Food trucks, and more.
  • 00:15:07.022 --> 00:15:08.958
  • Services will take place both indoors and outdoors.
  • 00:15:08.958 --> 00:15:11.660
  • Invite your friends and family to come celebrate
  • 00:15:11.660 --> 00:15:13.729
  • Our risen king this spring.
  • 00:15:13.729 --> 00:15:15.464
  • Allen: hey, this is pastor allen.
  • 00:15:15.464 --> 00:15:16.799
  • I want to give you a personal invitation to join us on our
  • 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:19.435
  • Campus here in murfreesboro for our spring festival
  • 00:15:19.435 --> 00:15:22.871
  • And our easter celebration.
  • 00:15:22.871 --> 00:15:24.573
  • It's a wonderful time to be with people of faith and celebrate
  • 00:15:24.573 --> 00:15:28.610
  • This most remarkable time of the year.
  • 00:15:28.610 --> 00:15:30.813
  • Announcer: find all the details at
  • 00:15:30.813 --> 00:15:32.147
  • Allenjackson.com/spring.
  • 00:15:32.147 --> 00:15:34.750
  • We can't wait to see you there.
  • 00:15:34.750 --> 00:15:37.686
  • Allen jackson: but as i was doing my research on angels and
  • 00:15:41.857 --> 00:15:44.827
  • And their role, zechariah was a wonderful reminder that this
  • 00:15:44.827 --> 00:15:48.864
  • Isn't just a story about the book of revelation.
  • 00:15:48.864 --> 00:15:52.468
  • It's not just an end of the age thing.
  • 00:15:52.468 --> 00:15:54.136
  • The angels don't just find their way into the new testament
  • 00:15:54.136 --> 00:15:56.405
  • Because the 1st century world embraced mythological ideas and
  • 00:15:56.405 --> 00:16:00.809
  • Spiritual language.
  • 00:16:00.809 --> 00:16:03.779
  • Don't yield the truth of scripture for those kind of
  • 00:16:03.779 --> 00:16:06.682
  • Pathetic explanations.
  • 00:16:06.682 --> 00:16:09.885
  • Zechariah precedes all of that and the angels play a role in
  • 00:16:09.885 --> 00:16:12.688
  • The book of zechariah that is very similar.
  • 00:16:12.688 --> 00:16:15.891
  • It's a forerunner to what we find.
  • 00:16:15.891 --> 00:16:17.693
  • You see, what john described in the book of revelation was easy
  • 00:16:17.693 --> 00:16:20.896
  • For him to describe because he's familiar with the book
  • 00:16:20.896 --> 00:16:23.298
  • Of zechariah.
  • 00:16:23.298 --> 00:16:25.134
  • I'll give you just a couple of brief examples.
  • 00:16:25.134 --> 00:16:26.635
  • Zechariah chapter 1, verse 8, "during the night, i had
  • 00:16:26.635 --> 00:16:29.071
  • A vision."
  • 00:16:29.071 --> 00:16:30.406
  • Sounds familiar.
  • 00:16:30.406 --> 00:16:32.041
  • "and before me was a man riding a red horse.
  • 00:16:32.041 --> 00:16:34.510
  • And he was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine.
  • 00:16:34.510 --> 00:16:37.513
  • And behind him were red, brown, and white horses.
  • 00:16:37.513 --> 00:16:40.049
  • And i said, what are these, my lord?
  • 00:16:40.049 --> 00:16:42.551
  • And the angel who was talking with me answered, 'i'll show you
  • 00:16:42.551 --> 00:16:47.389
  • What they are.'"
  • 00:16:47.389 --> 00:16:49.491
  • And he goes on to get the explanation.
  • 00:16:49.491 --> 00:16:51.060
  • Sounds a lot like, if you've been doing this study with us,
  • 00:16:51.060 --> 00:16:53.362
  • The four horsemen in revelation chapter 6, doesn't it?
  • 00:16:53.362 --> 00:16:57.166
  • Remember the white horse of the gospel, the red horse, the black
  • 00:16:57.166 --> 00:16:59.968
  • Horse, the pale horse?
  • 00:16:59.968 --> 00:17:02.471
  • Again, it was a familiar pattern to zechariah.
  • 00:17:02.471 --> 00:17:05.774
  • It was a familiar pattern to john when he had his vision.
  • 00:17:05.774 --> 00:17:09.678
  • He understood he stood in a heritage of people
  • 00:17:09.678 --> 00:17:11.914
  • Whose faith was described, defined, and made possible
  • 00:17:11.914 --> 00:17:15.184
  • By the interaction of angels on their journey.
  • 00:17:15.184 --> 00:17:19.788
  • I suspect we have more confidence in our affiliation
  • 00:17:19.788 --> 00:17:22.658
  • With a denomination or a congregation or a translation of
  • 00:17:22.658 --> 00:17:25.260
  • The bible that we do angels.
  • 00:17:25.260 --> 00:17:28.764
  • I spent my life in the church, i'm not opposed to
  • 00:17:28.764 --> 00:17:30.432
  • Denominations, congregations, or translations.
  • 00:17:30.432 --> 00:17:35.137
  • But angels occupy an important part of our journey.
  • 00:17:35.137 --> 00:17:38.607
  • They're fellow servants. you don't wanna worship them.
  • 00:17:38.607 --> 00:17:42.478
  • Doesn't make you more spiritual to know their names.
  • 00:17:42.478 --> 00:17:47.683
  • Zechariah 3, "then he showed me joshua the high priest standing
  • 00:17:47.683 --> 00:17:51.987
  • Before the angel of the lord, and satan standing at his right
  • 00:17:51.987 --> 00:17:56.458
  • Side to accuse him.
  • 00:17:56.458 --> 00:17:58.760
  • And the lord said to satan, 'the lord rebuke you, satan.
  • 00:17:58.760 --> 00:18:01.330
  • The lord who has chosen jerusalem rebuke you.'"
  • 00:18:01.330 --> 00:18:04.800
  • It's an interesting passage.
  • 00:18:04.800 --> 00:18:06.735
  • The angel gives to zechariah this vision.
  • 00:18:06.735 --> 00:18:09.872
  • He lets him see joshua, a man, the current high priest,
  • 00:18:09.872 --> 00:18:15.210
  • Standing before the lord, and on the other side of this person is
  • 00:18:15.210 --> 00:18:19.648
  • Satan himself.
  • 00:18:19.648 --> 00:18:23.318
  • And it's a helpful phrase, says, "the angel--satan--
  • 00:18:23.318 --> 00:18:27.222
  • Standing at his right side to accuse him."
  • 00:18:27.222 --> 00:18:30.859
  • The hebrew word for satan means accuser.
  • 00:18:30.859 --> 00:18:35.197
  • If you were reading in its original language, it would say
  • 00:18:35.197 --> 00:18:37.633
  • The angel of the lord and the accuser
  • 00:18:37.633 --> 00:18:39.568
  • Standing at his right side.
  • 00:18:39.568 --> 00:18:42.037
  • But god in his mercy to us gives us a little extra language.
  • 00:18:42.037 --> 00:18:45.340
  • He said the accuser was standing at his right side.
  • 00:18:45.340 --> 00:18:47.676
  • What would the accuser do?
  • 00:18:47.676 --> 00:18:50.479
  • Accuse him.
  • 00:18:50.479 --> 00:18:52.481
  • So, if you don't know hebrew, you still got the meaning.
  • 00:18:52.481 --> 00:18:54.016
  • Isn't god good to us?
  • 00:18:54.016 --> 00:18:57.553
  • The hebrew word for satan means accuser.
  • 00:18:57.553 --> 00:19:00.222
  • And this is in verse 3, "joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as
  • 00:19:00.222 --> 00:19:03.192
  • He stood before the angel.
  • 00:19:03.192 --> 00:19:05.627
  • And the angel said to those who were standing before him, 'take
  • 00:19:05.627 --> 00:19:08.030
  • Off his filthy clothes.
  • 00:19:08.030 --> 00:19:10.065
  • I've taken away your sin and put rich garments on you.'"
  • 00:19:10.065 --> 00:19:15.337
  • It's a very graphic portrayal of what god has done for us.
  • 00:19:15.337 --> 00:19:18.907
  • He's taken away our sin.
  • 00:19:18.907 --> 00:19:20.876
  • We've been given a robe of righteousness that we didn't
  • 00:19:20.876 --> 00:19:22.711
  • Earn, we didn't deserve.
  • 00:19:22.711 --> 00:19:24.046
  • We certainly couldn't purchase it.
  • 00:19:24.046 --> 00:19:25.981
  • There's no work program where you can work it out.
  • 00:19:25.981 --> 00:19:29.918
  • But the response of our life is the value we attach to the gift
  • 00:19:29.918 --> 00:19:33.222
  • Of righteousness.
  • 00:19:33.222 --> 00:19:34.556
  • We're not delivered from the responsibility to live
  • 00:19:34.556 --> 00:19:36.191
  • Righteously because we receive the gift of righteousness.
  • 00:19:36.191 --> 00:19:39.528
  • A righteous life is your expression of appreciation,
  • 00:19:39.528 --> 00:19:41.930
  • Gratitude, and the value you attach to that gift.
  • 00:19:41.930 --> 00:19:44.466
  • If you live a shabby, sloppy life, dishonoring god, you don't
  • 00:19:44.466 --> 00:19:49.104
  • Attach much value to the gift.
  • 00:19:49.104 --> 00:19:52.241
  • On the other hand, you can't earn it.
  • 00:19:52.241 --> 00:19:53.609
  • You can't be good enough.
  • 00:19:53.609 --> 00:19:54.943
  • I don't choose to honor the lord with my life, or my emotions, or
  • 00:19:54.943 --> 00:19:56.912
  • My words, or my behaviors so that god will love me more.
  • 00:19:56.912 --> 00:19:59.581
  • He loved me when i was a flat out pagan, thank god.
  • 00:19:59.581 --> 00:20:05.554
  • But this graphic portrayal here of joshua's clothing being
  • 00:20:05.554 --> 00:20:08.957
  • Filthy and clean clothing being provided for him leads me back
  • 00:20:08.957 --> 00:20:13.095
  • To the pictures of revelation.
  • 00:20:13.095 --> 00:20:14.463
  • Revelation 3, and verse 18, i put it in your notes.
  • 00:20:14.463 --> 00:20:18.233
  • It's the message to the church in laodicea.
  • 00:20:18.233 --> 00:20:21.403
  • This is to a church now.
  • 00:20:21.403 --> 00:20:23.572
  • That's where we started our discussion today.
  • 00:20:23.572 --> 00:20:25.440
  • If our hearts will change, god'll change our nation.
  • 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:28.710
  • He'll change our schools and our universities.
  • 00:20:28.710 --> 00:20:30.779
  • He'll change our economy.
  • 00:20:30.779 --> 00:20:32.114
  • He'll change-- he'll change a lot of things.
  • 00:20:32.114 --> 00:20:34.082
  • "i counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so you
  • 00:20:34.082 --> 00:20:37.552
  • Can become rich, and white clothes to wear so you can cover
  • 00:20:37.552 --> 00:20:40.789
  • Your shameful nakedness."
  • 00:20:40.789 --> 00:20:42.924
  • It's a church.
  • 00:20:42.924 --> 00:20:44.259
  • They already have robes of righteousness.
  • 00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:47.829
  • They've been given the gift of righteousness, but the outcome
  • 00:20:47.829 --> 00:20:50.699
  • Of their life has left them, in the description in revelation,
  • 00:20:50.699 --> 00:20:54.503
  • Of blind, pitiful, naked, and in need of all things.
  • 00:20:54.503 --> 00:20:57.439
  • How messed up do you have to be to be that messed up and not
  • 00:20:57.439 --> 00:20:59.675
  • Know it?
  • 00:20:59.675 --> 00:21:02.344
  • I mean, you gotta be pretty strung out.
  • 00:21:02.344 --> 00:21:04.546
  • He says, "you say, 'i don't need anything, that i'm rich and i
  • 00:21:04.546 --> 00:21:06.481
  • Have everything,"' and he said, "in reality, you're poor, blind,
  • 00:21:06.481 --> 00:21:08.717
  • And naked, and you don't know it."
  • 00:21:08.717 --> 00:21:12.254
  • I mean, have you ever been so messed up you were poor, blind,
  • 00:21:12.254 --> 00:21:14.122
  • And naked, and didn't know it?
  • 00:21:14.122 --> 00:21:17.559
  • Look at everybody lookin' at the carpet, "not me, pastor.
  • 00:21:17.559 --> 00:21:19.761
  • I have no idea what you're talking about."
  • 00:21:19.761 --> 00:21:23.332
  • Good.
  • 00:21:23.332 --> 00:21:25.233
  • Revelation 7, "i looked, and behold, a great multitude which
  • 00:21:25.233 --> 00:21:29.171
  • No one could count, from every nation, and all tribes, and
  • 00:21:29.171 --> 00:21:31.540
  • Peoples, and tongues standing before the throne, and the lamb
  • 00:21:31.540 --> 00:21:35.177
  • Clothed in white robes.
  • 00:21:35.177 --> 00:21:37.579
  • And palm branches were in their hands.
  • 00:21:37.579 --> 00:21:41.983
  • And they cried with a loud voice, 'salvation to our god who
  • 00:21:41.983 --> 00:21:44.519
  • Sits on the throne and to the lamb.'"
  • 00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:46.154
  • Look at verse 13.
  • 00:21:46.154 --> 00:21:47.522
  • One of the elders said-- he asked who these people are, and
  • 00:21:47.522 --> 00:21:52.194
  • He said, "these are who are clothed in white robes, who are
  • 00:21:52.194 --> 00:21:55.130
  • They, and where have they come from?"
  • 00:21:55.130 --> 00:21:56.465
  • And he said, "my lord, you know.
  • 00:21:56.465 --> 00:21:58.300
  • They're the ones who've come out of the great tribulation."
  • 00:21:58.300 --> 00:22:02.204
  • They are overcomers.
  • 00:22:02.204 --> 00:22:08.243
  • I'll go back to zechariah for one more passage.
  • 00:22:04.606 --> 00:22:10.011
  • I think it's helpful.
  • 00:22:10.011 --> 00:22:11.480
  • Zechariah 4, in verse 1 says, "the angel who talked with me
  • 00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:14.383
  • Returned and wakened me, as a man is wakened from his sleep."
  • 00:22:14.383 --> 00:22:18.053
  • We're gonna need spiritual help to wake out of the slumber we've
  • 00:22:18.053 --> 00:22:20.589
  • Been in.
  • 00:22:20.589 --> 00:22:22.224
  • We all have some friends who are still a bit asleep spiritually.
  • 00:22:22.224 --> 00:22:24.793
  • Good people, people of faith, people with a heritage of faith,
  • 00:22:24.793 --> 00:22:29.498
  • But they're still a bit asleep.
  • 00:22:29.498 --> 00:22:30.866
  • They're not awake to what god is doing.
  • 00:22:30.866 --> 00:22:32.701
  • We need god's help.
  • 00:22:32.701 --> 00:22:34.035
  • Don't be angry with them.
  • 00:22:34.035 --> 00:22:37.205
  • Begin to quietly say, "lord, wake up the people around me.
  • 00:22:37.205 --> 00:22:40.575
  • Wake up your people, lord.
  • 00:22:40.575 --> 00:22:43.211
  • Send an angel if necessary.
  • 00:22:43.211 --> 00:22:44.579
  • Stir their hearts by your spirit, lord."
  • 00:22:44.579 --> 00:22:47.382
  • "he awakened me.
  • 00:22:47.382 --> 00:22:48.717
  • He said, 'what do you see?'
  • 00:22:48.717 --> 00:22:50.051
  • And i answered, 'i see seven gold lampstands with a bowl at
  • 00:22:50.051 --> 00:22:51.820
  • The top.'"
  • 00:22:51.820 --> 00:22:53.155
  • Sound a lot like revelation to me.
  • 00:22:53.155 --> 00:22:54.523
  • How about you?
  • 00:22:54.523 --> 00:22:56.958
  • Verse 5, "he said, 'do you know what these are?'
  • 00:22:56.958 --> 00:22:58.693
  • 'no,' i reply.
  • 00:22:58.693 --> 00:23:00.061
  • Then he said, '"this is the word of the lord to zerubbabel.
  • 00:23:00.061 --> 00:23:03.865
  • Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit," says the
  • 00:23:03.865 --> 00:23:07.202
  • Lord almighty.'"
  • 00:23:07.202 --> 00:23:08.537
  • Do you know who zerubbabel is?
  • 00:23:08.537 --> 00:23:10.372
  • Do you happen to know what his contribution to the jewish
  • 00:23:10.372 --> 00:23:13.442
  • History or israelite history was?
  • 00:23:13.442 --> 00:23:16.411
  • I'll give you a hint.
  • 00:23:16.411 --> 00:23:17.779
  • Who built the first temple in jerusalem?
  • 00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:19.114
  • Do you know?
  • 00:23:19.114 --> 00:23:20.682
  • Solomon.
  • 00:23:20.682 --> 00:23:22.050
  • It's not really a trick question.
  • 00:23:22.050 --> 00:23:23.385
  • That temple was destroyed by the babylonians, 587 b.c.
  • 00:23:23.385 --> 00:23:28.790
  • The second temple was built in jerusalem under the authority of
  • 00:23:28.790 --> 00:23:32.394
  • A persian king.
  • 00:23:32.394 --> 00:23:33.728
  • The jews, the exiles and not all returned yet, but they've been
  • 00:23:33.728 --> 00:23:36.164
  • Given permission to rebuild their temple in jerusalem, and
  • 00:23:36.164 --> 00:23:39.234
  • Zerubbabel is the one who builds the temple.
  • 00:23:39.234 --> 00:23:42.838
  • Until this day, the jewish people understand their history
  • 00:23:42.838 --> 00:23:45.574
  • In terms of the first temple period and the second
  • 00:23:45.574 --> 00:23:47.642
  • Temple period.
  • 00:23:47.642 --> 00:23:50.011
  • That was a very modest building because they didn't have the
  • 00:23:50.011 --> 00:23:51.847
  • Wealth and the resources that solomon had when he rebuilt it.
  • 00:23:51.847 --> 00:23:54.916
  • Herod the great will do a-- to call it a remodel is
  • 00:23:54.916 --> 00:23:58.487
  • An understatement.
  • 00:23:58.487 --> 00:24:00.422
  • The jews of herod's day, it's the new testament, didn't trust
  • 00:24:00.422 --> 00:24:02.791
  • Herod enough to allow him to dismantle zerubbabel's temple,
  • 00:24:02.791 --> 00:24:06.495
  • So he had to simply expand around it, and expand around
  • 00:24:06.495 --> 00:24:09.865
  • That he did.
  • 00:24:09.865 --> 00:24:11.233
  • It became one of the wonders of the ancient world.
  • 00:24:11.233 --> 00:24:13.468
  • But when zerubbabel built his temple, resources were few.
  • 00:24:13.468 --> 00:24:16.171
  • They were still slaves in a foreign land.
  • 00:24:16.171 --> 00:24:18.773
  • And the the exiles had begun to return, but not in
  • 00:24:18.773 --> 00:24:21.943
  • Great numbers.
  • 00:24:21.943 --> 00:24:23.278
  • They hadn't restored temple worship yet.
  • 00:24:23.278 --> 00:24:25.413
  • And the message that the angel brought to zerubbabel was, "'not
  • 00:24:25.413 --> 00:24:28.383
  • By might nor by power, but by my spirit,' says the
  • 00:24:28.383 --> 00:24:31.853
  • Lord almighty."
  • 00:24:31.853 --> 00:24:33.655
  • I believe if there was a message for the church in the world
  • 00:24:33.655 --> 00:24:36.024
  • Today, it would be, "not by might nor by power, but by the
  • 00:24:36.024 --> 00:24:40.762
  • Spirit of the living god."
  • 00:24:40.762 --> 00:24:43.732
  • The tasks are difficult, the adversaries seem to have
  • 00:24:43.732 --> 00:24:46.434
  • More power.
  • 00:24:46.434 --> 00:24:48.236
  • There are many deficits.
  • 00:24:48.236 --> 00:24:49.604
  • We can look at other seasons and other times historically.
  • 00:24:49.604 --> 00:24:52.240
  • The temple and its grandeur when solomon built it was one of the
  • 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:55.043
  • Most beautiful buildings ever constructed by human beings.
  • 00:24:55.043 --> 00:24:58.914
  • And zerubbabel is not going to rival that, but he's been given
  • 00:24:58.914 --> 00:25:01.349
  • An assignment.
  • 00:25:01.349 --> 00:25:03.251
  • And god says, "zerubbabel, you could accomplish this, but it
  • 00:25:03.251 --> 00:25:05.754
  • Won't be by your physical might or the power of the numbers that
  • 00:25:05.754 --> 00:25:09.257
  • You marshal.
  • 00:25:09.257 --> 00:25:10.592
  • It'll be by the spirit of the living god."
  • 00:25:10.592 --> 00:25:12.928
  • We need a church empowered by the spirit of the living god.
  • 00:25:12.928 --> 00:25:17.065
  • It's the truth.
  • 00:25:17.065 --> 00:25:23.204
  • Look in verse 7, "what are you, o mighty mountain?
  • 00:25:23.204 --> 00:25:25.273
  • Before zerubbabel, you will become level ground."
  • 00:25:25.273 --> 00:25:27.676
  • It's a wonderful little prayer.
  • 00:25:27.676 --> 00:25:29.711
  • Next time there's some huge hill in front of you that seems
  • 00:25:29.711 --> 00:25:31.813
  • Ungodly, or immoral, or wicked, or extraordinarily dark, you can
  • 00:25:31.813 --> 00:25:35.383
  • Say, "before the spirit of god, you'll become level ground."
  • 00:25:35.383 --> 00:25:38.887
  • You don't have to tell anybody, just quietly start to walk
  • 00:25:38.887 --> 00:25:40.789
  • Around with that prayer, "you're gonna become level ground."
  • 00:25:40.789 --> 00:25:42.857
  • That disease will become level ground.
  • 00:25:42.857 --> 00:25:45.193
  • That threat is gonna become level ground.
  • 00:25:45.193 --> 00:25:47.095
  • That broken heart is gonna become level ground.
  • 00:25:47.095 --> 00:25:50.899
  • Look at the next sentence, "the hands of zerubbabel."
  • 00:25:50.899 --> 00:25:55.270
  • "then the word of the lord came to me, 'the hands of zerubbabel
  • 00:25:55.270 --> 00:25:57.672
  • Have laid the foundation of this temple.
  • 00:25:57.672 --> 00:25:59.841
  • His hands will also complete it.
  • 00:25:59.841 --> 00:26:02.344
  • And you'll know that the lord almighty has sent me to you who
  • 00:26:02.344 --> 00:26:05.480
  • Despises the thing of small-- the day of small things.'"
  • 00:26:05.480 --> 00:26:08.650
  • Don't despise, he said, small beginnings.
  • 00:26:08.650 --> 00:26:12.354
  • The same hands that began it will complete it because the
  • 00:26:12.354 --> 00:26:15.323
  • Spirit of god is in you.
  • 00:26:15.323 --> 00:26:17.258
  • In hebrews, it says that jesus our lord is the author and the
  • 00:26:17.258 --> 00:26:20.762
  • Completer of our story; that what he's begun in us, he will
  • 00:26:20.762 --> 00:26:24.466
  • Bring to completion; that he called us out of darkness and he
  • 00:26:24.466 --> 00:26:28.536
  • Will see us into his kingdom.
  • 00:26:28.536 --> 00:26:31.706
  • But we've got a journey through time.
  • 00:26:31.706 --> 00:26:34.142
  • We're strangers here, pilgrims in the world on a
  • 00:26:34.142 --> 00:26:37.412
  • Temporary assignment.
  • 00:26:37.412 --> 00:26:39.481
  • Allen jackson: hey, we're talking about the things of god.
  • 00:26:39.547 --> 00:26:41.616
  • We want to offer prayers of invitation so that god is
  • 00:26:41.616 --> 00:26:44.886
  • Welcome in our lives.
  • 00:26:44.886 --> 00:26:46.388
  • Let's do that right now.
  • 00:26:46.388 --> 00:26:47.789
  • Heavenly father, thank you for your word, for the truth it
  • 00:26:47.789 --> 00:26:50.191
  • Brings to us, for the way that you fill our imagination with
  • 00:26:50.191 --> 00:26:53.261
  • What's possible.
  • 00:26:53.261 --> 00:26:54.629
  • We want to welcome you into our lives today more fully than we
  • 00:26:54.629 --> 00:26:57.032
  • Ever have before.
  • 00:26:57.032 --> 00:26:58.366
  • Holy spirit, you are welcome.
  • 00:26:58.366 --> 00:26:59.701
  • Lord, let us see the angels that are at work on our behalf.
  • 00:26:59.701 --> 00:27:02.103
  • Give us a discernment, and an understanding, and awareness.
  • 00:27:02.103 --> 00:27:05.373
  • Fill our lives with your purposes.
  • 00:27:05.373 --> 00:27:07.409
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:07.409 --> 00:27:10.245
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:10.245 --> 00:27:10.245