Participants: David Asscherick, James Rafferty, Jeffrey Rosario, Ty Gibson
Series Code: TT
Program Code: TT000013
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00:01 [Music]
00:10 [Music] 00:21 >>As the conversation continues in this particular conversation 00:25 we want to be talking about the end of all things, which is 00:29 really the beginning of the thing that God originally 00:32 intended. 00:33 We've been spending quite a lot of time sort of developing what 00:36 went wrong. 00:37 Fortunately we started off with the things that were going 00:40 right. 00:41 But as we've already mentioned scripture opens in Eden and 00:44 closes in Eden. 00:45 And as we move now in this conversation to the restoration 00:49 of all things and that end which is really a beginning we've had 00:53 a lot of things we want to talk about. 00:55 We want to talk about the role of the spirit. 00:57 We want to talk about resurrection because we've spent 00:59 quite a bit of time on the cross. 01:01 And then we want to talk about the restoration itself. 01:04 So I think maybe a good place for us to begin would sort of be 01:07 at this topic of the resurrection, which, as you've 01:11 mentioned Jeffrey in the past that there is historical extra 01:16 biblical and intrabiblical evidence for this as an event of 01:20 history. 01:22 Not just a theological construct but Jesus literally lived, 01:25 literally died, was literally buried and literally rose from 01:28 the dead. 01:29 And if that's true, right? 01:31 Then the Christian faith is true and this is really, really good 01:34 news not just good advice as you've said Ty. 01:37 So let's talk about the resurrection and where do we 01:40 want to go from there. 01:41 >>Well in the context of where we left off in our last 01:44 conversation the resurrection is of huge significance in the 01:49 light of what we discussed about the cross because we suggest--we 01:54 said very clearly and showed in scripture that Jesus experienced 02:00 not merely the first death but the second death. 02:03 And we defined the second death as absolute destruction and 02:09 annihilation that is an experience that will be had by 02:14 incorrigibly evil, unrepentant human beings that move beyond 02:20 the possibility of salvation. 02:22 We commonly refer to this event as the destruction of the 02:25 wicked. 02:27 >>Or hell. 02:28 >>Or hell that's right. 02:29 >>Fire, ok. 02:30 >>So if Jesus experienced the second death. 02:32 >>I know where you are going. 02:34 >>Yeah, why is he alive? 02:35 If the second death is annihilation that second death 02:39 is the full wages of sin, a death from which there is no 02:42 resurrection as we talked about then how can he possibly come 02:46 through that and emerged on the other side in the resurrection. 02:53 >>So I'm assuming that you not only are gonna propose the 02:57 question but you are gonna give us at least some direction by 02:59 way of an answer. 03:01 >>I would like to initiate the answer by simply pointing out 03:04 that in John chapter 10, look at John chapter 10 I don't want to 03:09 just refer to it. 03:10 We need to look at this one. 03:12 I was thinking about just referring to it but no John 03:13 chapter 10, let's look at verse 18 and I'll read the verse and 03:20 then we'll look back to the implications here for what 03:23 happened at the cross. 03:25 No one, Jesus says, takes it, that is my life from me but I 03:28 will lay it down of myself. 03:30 I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up 03:34 again--to take it again. 03:37 This command I have received from my father. 03:40 So Jesus is here foretelling, prophesying of his resurrection 03:45 but he's prophesying of his resurrection on the premise of 03:50 something the father revealed to him. 03:53 The father has indicated that I will be resurrected. 03:57 There were a number of times when Jesus told the disciples I 04:00 will be resurrected. 04:02 >>That's right. 04:03 >>Ok but then as we saw in scripture when reality--when 04:06 reality really came into play regarding the sins of the world 04:11 upon him in Gethsemane straight through to the cross Jesus was 04:17 enveloped in an impenetrable darkness psychologically. 04:21 >>Psalm 88. 04:22 >>Psalm 88 I am shut up in the lowest pit in darkness in the 04:26 deep of this death from which there is no remembrance of me 04:31 and in verse 8 I am shut up and I can't get out. 04:34 I don't see resurrection for myself beyond. 04:37 But here's the amazing thing. 04:39 In that darkness Jesus had previously told Peter that if I 04:47 wanted to I could call to the father and he would send 12 04:50 legions of angels to deliver me. 04:52 So Jesus wasn't trapped. 04:55 His back wasn't against a wall. 04:57 It was a voluntary sacrifice, which is in the first line of 05:01 verse 18 here. 05:03 No one takes my life from me. 05:04 I lay it down of myself. 05:06 >>Another way to say that a very simple way to say that would be 05:09 you can't kill God. 05:11 >>That's right. 05:12 >>Nobody can come to God and hey I'm taking your life from you. 05:14 >>So this is a voluntary sacrifice, right? 05:17 He's giving his life and because he's giving his life at the 05:22 cross Jesus is experiencing something that is a 05:29 manifestation of his love in the most extreme possible 05:34 circumstances that love could be put to the test. 05:36 ecause he can't see life for himself beyond this darkness so 05:40 he is essentially making a totally conscious decision to 05:44 save man at any cost to himself. 05:46 >>Beautiful. 05:48 >>Any cost absolutely any cost what's the absolute? 05:50 Any cost? 05:53 His own eternal life he's willing to give. 05:56 And having made that decision his love conquered death at the 06:03 most fundamental level of selfishness and therefore the 06:08 grave couldn't hold him. 06:09 So Jesus goes into the grave and the father doesn't resurrect him 06:12 by fiat or by some kind of arbitrary command. 06:17 He has a perfect right to come forth from the grave by virtue 06:23 of the fact that he died without the stain of sin upon him. 06:28 He never yielded to selfishness. 06:31 He died in love and having done so he's resurrected by virtue of 06:37 that victory that he gained at the cross. 06:40 >>Wow that really brings out a powerful thought because 06:43 understanding that concept it helps me to recognize why it was 06:49 when he was on the cross that 3 times he was tempted to save 06:52 himself. 06:53 If you remember the Jews came to him, the thief on the cross came 06:56 to him and the soldier said to him save yourself, save 07:00 yourself, save yourself. 07:01 And I imagine as you've explained this Ty that they were 07:04 inspired the devil by Satan himself because he knew that if 07:10 he could not get Christ to yield to the principle of selfishness 07:14 that death could not hold him because death is the consequence 07:18 of sin and selfishness. 07:20 >>Could you say that death had no legitimate right to keep 07:26 Jesus? 07:28 >>Yes. 07:29 >>I love that language. 07:30 >>Yeah there was a legal dimension to that great 07:32 controversy as we've mentioned previously in Jesus has 07:35 prevailed. 07:36 He's victorious. 07:37 The book Desire of Ages which I love which is a narrative 07:41 commentary on the life of Christ there's a statement that just is 07:46 always with me when I think about the cross and it describes 07:51 it like this it says love and selfishness stood face to face 07:57 that's at the cross love and selfishness stood face to face 08:01 in mortal combat and love gained the victory. 08:06 That's what's happening at Calvary so Jesus goes into the 08:09 grave and he comes forth on the third day as a rightful victor. 08:16 He is in fact victorious over hell and death. 08:22 In Revelation chapter 1:18 says that he has metaphoric and 08:28 symbolic language the keys of hell and of death. 08:31 >>I was thinking of this that very verse a couple of months 08:35 ago when I had the really sad experience of watching my mother 08:40 in law die. 08:41 And I have never been in the room in a room with somebody 08:47 that was literally breathing their last. 08:48 Even my grandfather I wasn't present and other family 08:51 members. 08:52 I had never been present until a couple of months ago. 08:55 And I remember that when she passed away I began to think 09:00 immediately about the resurrection--resurrection she 09:03 dies early. 09:04 She had cancer. 09:05 It started with breast cancer. 09:06 We found a lump and then immediately followed up with a 09:10 mastectomy and then a lot of, you know. 09:12 >>Procedures. 09:14 >>Yeah procedures and juicing and all kinds of things that we 09:16 can do and the cancer moved from to the liver and then it moved 09:23 to the spinal cord and then eventually it went to the brain. 09:27 And to see the effects of death and the effects of sin in that 09:34 sin is what brings death into this world. 09:37 I remember thinking about that verse you just quoted how Jesus 09:40 has the keys for Revelation 1:18 and I was after they came and 09:45 took the body away I was sitting on the carpet in that very room 09:49 where she had passed away and I was just writing. 09:50 And I remember I wrote down that in this very room Jesus was here 09:56 and he was dangling the keys in the devils face. 10:01 That Christ conquered death and that is a powerful statement to 10:06 Satan and now that Christ has conquered death we have nothing 10:11 to fear because the tomb is empty. 10:14 >>Well think about the symbolism Jeffrey. 10:16 He has the keys of hell and of death in Revelation 1:18 the 10:21 implication is that he had to acquire them. 10:25 He had to achieve something in order to get them right? 10:30 And what does this mean then but that Jesus was conqueror over 10:38 the principles that set the great controversy into motion 10:44 the principle namely of sin and evil and selfishness. 10:47 And the devil as we've talked about, Satan, the fallen angel 10:53 Lucifer is the one who initiated the death process so Hebrews 2 10:57 and verse 14 says in as much then as the children. 11:01 >>Are you there? 11:02 >>Really. 11:03 >>In as much then as the children have partaken of flesh 11:06 and blood he himself, that's Jesus likewise shared in the 11:10 same that through death he might destroy him who had the power of 11:15 death. 11:16 >>Or the keys of death. 11:18 >>That, yeah, that is the devil. 11:20 So this is--this is a--this is a victory test Jesus has conquered 11:26 the devil and in so doing he conquered death. 11:28 >>And in verse 15. 11:29 >>So do it verse 15 go--go--go James. 11:32 >>And delivered them who through fear of death were all their 11:35 lifetime subject to bondage. 11:37 I love that. 11:38 I like to think of it this way what do you guys think of this? 11:41 The devil has as it were 3 primary weapons at his disposal. 11:46 Now this is an oversimplification but tell me 11:48 if you like this. 11:49 The devil has 3 tools at his disposal. 11:52 One is sin which he wields very capably tempting us etc. But 11:57 then the results of sin or what sin eventuates then is death. 12:00 So he has sin, which is a sword, he can use temptation. 12:04 Then he has death. 12:05 And then he has the fear of death. 12:08 And so Jesus he gets each of those. 12:12 Number one he doesn't sin. 12:13 He lives a life of perfect relational integrity before God 12:16 and man. 12:17 So sin is now conquered. 12:19 Jesus goes into the tomb as it was and wrestles the keys of 12:23 death from Satan's hand and comes forward and then the 12:27 author of Hebrews point is now there's no more fear. 12:31 He has released you from the fear of death. 12:34 >>I read a book I've just gotta say this it's a book that if 12:36 you've not read it it's an amazing book. 12:39 You like that the fear the death or the sin, death and fear. 12:44 Here's a book you wanna read a book that'll change your life 12:47 and I recommend it to our listeners as well. 12:49 It's called the last words of sinners and saints by Dr. 12:52 Herbert Locure. 12:54 >>And compilation. 12:56 >>Compilation all he did--all he did was he went back and he just 13:00 collected hundreds of instances of the last words of people, 13:03 scientists, actors, kings, politicians, satirists, authors, 13:10 Christians, atheists, and he just assembled them. 13:13 This is the chapter on atheist. 13:15 This is the chapter on actors and you can just go read and I 13:18 would say this if for no other reason but just the opportunity 13:21 to dies with courage and dignity you should become a Christian. 13:28 When you read the way that Christians die and the beauty 13:31 with which they embrace that cold reality. 13:36 >>It's because of that perspective. 13:38 Because Christ. 13:40 >>No fear. 13:41 >>Because he has the keys. 13:42 Can I read a text 'cause you were talking about weapons that 13:44 the devil has 3 weapons and there's sin, death. 13:46 >>You can only read it if it's Colossians chapter 2. 13:49 [Laughter] 13:51 >>Colossians chapter 2. 13:52 >>I'm already there. 13:53 [Laughter] 13:54 >>Well I'm glad I'm the one reading it then because verse 13:57 15. 13:58 >>Yes. 13:59 >>It's astounding. 14:00 >>I don't know I'm a big warrior guy. 14:03 >>Are you? 14:04 >>He's a warrior. 14:05 >>Your muscles are bulging out. 14:06 >>Warrior? 14:07 >>The warrior. 14:09 >>Warrior--Warrior 14:11 >>Grey hair. 14:13 >>No I mean warrior [Laughter] 14:17 >>In verse 15. 14:18 >>I had to clarify that. 14:20 >>I knew that about you. 14:21 >>In verse 15 in Colossians 2 because you were just talking 14:22 about weapons, weapons, weapons it says having disarmed. 14:26 >>There you go yeah, yeah. 14:29 >>Having disarmed ok now he's talking about Jesus because of 14:32 verse 17. 14:33 >>There were weapons? 14:34 >>There's weapons but I don't want to get into the context but 14:36 in verse 14 he's talking about Jesus at the cross verse 15 14:40 having disarmed principalities and powers which is familiar 14:47 Pauline language right? 14:48 We have Ephesians and so forth where he's referring to the 14:50 powers of darkness having disarmed the principalities and 14:53 powers he made a public spectacle of them triumphing 14:59 over them in it. 15:00 And I always like to circle the word it. 15:03 What is the word it referring to? 15:06 But the last verse in the last word in verse 14, the cross. 15:11 So--so--so 15:12 >>My marginal said in himself. 15:14 >>Ok, in himself and at the cross Jesus disarmed 15:18 principalities and powers and he made a public show of them. 15:22 And the picture that I think of is like you know the Alexander 15:26 the Great who comes back after one of his military--one of his 15:31 wars---one of his battles and he comes back and when he enters 15:34 back into his own gates he has the enemy with him and he's 15:40 making a public spectacle of him. 15:42 This is so powerful because we have God hanging on the 15:46 tree--hanging on a cross, naked and beaten and in that act he 15:51 has disarmed the very kingdom of darkness. 15:57 >In an act of what looks like absolute failure. 16:00 >>Defeat--looks like defeat 16:02 >>Good point 16:03 >>In that very act he defeats the kingdom of Satan and that's 16:06 so powerful that's amazing 16:09 >>Because the power that he has is not unlike Alexander the 16:13 Great it's not a power of might or of swords or of strength it's 16:17 a power of love. 16:20 It's a power of selfishness. 16:21 >>So all of the deceptions that we've been talking about--I 16:23 guess we began many conversations ago when we were 16:25 setting the stage about the Bible and the fall, all of those 16:28 deceptions they get nailed to that cross--they get nailed to 16:32 the cross of Jesus and its as God is hanging on the cross he 16:36 is refuting all the accusations of Satan that he's selfish, that 16:41 he's restrictive and so forth and so forth. 16:43 >>The wounded Warrior. 16:44 >>Oh wow, wow. 16:46 >>Not just a Warrior he had been introduced back in Genesis 3 as 16:50 the wounded Warrior. 16:51 You will bite or crush his heel but he will crush your head. 16:56 >>You know what I think that it would be appropriate then having 17:01 mentioned Genesis 3:15 and the language there to just fast 17:05 forward to Romans 16:20 where Paul quotes that same verse. 17:10 He alludes to that language and he's basically saying --well 17:15 basically let's just read it because I'm here. 17:20 >>I love this verse. 17:21 >>Isn't it great--isn't it great? 17:23 >>I love it because of what it calls God. 17:25 It calls him something very special. 17:27 >>The God of peace and the God of peace will crush Satan. 17:32 >>I like that word. 17:33 >>But doesn't that seem like almost 17:36 >>There's tension there. 17:38 >>The God of peace will crush it's almost what? 17:45 >>The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. 17:47 Isn't that something? 17:50 >>Yes perfect because if he's a God of peace he's absolutely 17:52 going to crush Satan. 17:54 >>So the victory of the cross in some way takes on a ongoing 17:59 residual and then finally climactic victory in the church. 18:03 >>That's right. 18:04 >>Yeah so Genesis 3:15 is fulfilled in Christ and then we 18:12 are the recipients and partakers of his victory which is the 18:17 victory of selfless love, other centered love, which then is 18:21 manifested ultimately through human beings and the kingdom of 18:25 darkness comes crashing down on the premise of the cross. 18:30 >>When we come back Ty would you take us through a little bit of 18:33 Ephesians 3 there because you talk about through the church 18:37 that this manifest grand beauty and glory of God will be shown 18:42 in the church. 18:43 >>Yeah let's do that when we come back. 18:48 [Music] 18:52 Announcer: After a tumultuous upbringing Deacon Francis found 18:54 his way into community of loving believers. 18:57 As he grew in his faith Deacon Francis felt a burring desire to 19:01 preach. 19:03 He found his calling to minister among those waiting outside 19:06 Colingalinga Clinic. 19:07 He had gone there early one morning for a medical 19:10 appointment only to find that the clinic didn't open until 19:13 8:00am. 19:14 He found out that patients cued every day prior to the clinic 19:17 opening. 19:19 There Deacon Francis found his flock among the sick, many of 19:23 whom are infected with HIV. 19:26 >>When somebody started out and he has HIV and Aids with the 19:33 people outside they think it is the end of it all. 19:36 They find me. 19:39 They hear my preaching. 19:41 They approach me to say Deacon here is the situation. 19:45 I've been told that I have HIV. 19:49 Me I'm dying. 19:51 Then I just pick it up from there start showing him the love 19:58 of God how God can change his life. 20:01 Announcer: Surprisingly the local authorities welcomed his 20:06 visits. 20:07 To this day he preaches to the patients each morning as they 20:10 await treatment utilizing Light Bearers tracts and bible study 20:14 guides as his teaching tools. 20:17 >>Zambian people love to read. 20:22 >>Many people really accept any spiritual material. 20:28 When you go anywhere in Usaka you can stand on a street corner 20:31 with a box of literature and they will literally come from 20:35 the other side of the road to get it if it's for free. 20:49 You'll find them in buses. 20:51 You'll find them in offices just reading that material during 20:54 their break time. 20:55 Announcer: The Discover Bible guides are often people's first 20:58 introduction to Christ. 21:01 The humble tracts act as ambassadors of truth. 21:04 This is how many encounter the love of Jesus and find hope in 21:07 their time of need. 21:14 Announcer: To partner with Light Bearers in spreading the gospel 21:16 visit us online at lightbearers.org or call us toll 21:20 free at 1-877-585-1111. 21:25 You can also write to us at Light Bearers 37457 Jasper 21:29 Lowell Road, Jasper, OR 97438. 21:47 >> I love Deacon Francis. 21:48 This guy devoting his life to standing in front of that 21:53 hospital--that place where the sick and the dying are coming 21:58 and he spends his early mornings handing out bible studies and 22:04 evangelizing people, sharing the gospel with them and building 22:09 the church of Christ on earth. 22:11 Now David you suggested before we took our break that we go to 22:16 Ephesians chapter 3. 22:18 And the reason why is because we were in Romans 16:20 and we saw 22:21 that the apostle Paul alluding to Genesis 3:15 said that the 22:26 church will be the medium that through which Christ will 22:30 finally crush Satan under his feet through the church. 22:36 Well Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 10 talks about how this 22:41 takes place verse 10 to the intent that now the manifold 22:46 wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the 22:50 principalities and powers in the heavenly places. 22:55 >>Principalities and powers. 22:56 >>Yeah principalities and powers were back to Colossians 2:15 23:00 >>It's the universal language. 23:02 >>According to the eternal purpose, which he 23:04 accomplished--accomplished--done deal in Christ Jesus our Lord. 23:09 This is amazing the church is the vehicle for the replication 23:14 if you will of the victory that Christ gained at the cross. 23:17 >>And it even says here that God is trying to make something 23:21 known to the universe and it's through human beings, through 23:25 the church that that lesson is going to be demonstrated. 23:30 >>Jeffrey in a previous conversation I think it was or 23:33 maybe just in this conversation weren't you referring to the 23:38 Holy Spirit coming as Christ departs. 23:42 It was a previous conversation. 23:44 >>John 23:45 >>Yeah the Holy Spirit now comes into the world for the formation 23:50 and development of the church--for the empowering of 23:52 the church to execute its mission. 23:55 Yeah so 23:56 >>Well it was remember in John 16 where Jesus was telling his 24:01 church--his followers that its to their advantage that he goes 24:05 away so that the spirit could come. 24:08 And in another text in John 7 it says that the spirit had not 24:12 come fully yet because Christ had not yet been glorified. 24:14 So there's a link there between Jesus and the Spirit. 24:17 >>Do you think it would be theologically, biblically 24:20 accurate to say that the victory that Jesus gained at the cross 24:24 was the catalyst for the coming of the Holy Spirit? 24:30 >>Absolutely. 24:31 >>Post Calvary--after the cross the Holy Spirit comes by virtue 24:35 of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. 24:37 >>Of course we were talking about how every member of the 24:39 Godhead is utterly selfless. 24:43 The father points to the Son and the Spirit is basically a lens 24:51 that magnifies what Jesus has done. 24:54 Jesus points back to his father but the spirit is like a lens to 24:59 magnify the work of Jesus so it makes perfect, logical sense 25:03 that Christ does his work and then what follows after 25:07 that--that's necessary for the spirit then to come and apply 25:10 what Christ has done to humanity. 25:13 >>Individual basis. 25:15 >>We weren't there. 25:16 We were not at Calvary. 25:18 We weren't present when that happened. 25:20 How do we enter into an experience where we interact 25:24 with the cross of Calvary? 25:25 It's in the person of the spirit. 25:27 He's the connecting link that allows us to interact with the 25:31 implications of Calvary. 25:33 >>Jesus literally say that when the Holy Spirit comes he will 25:36 not speak of himself but he will glorify me--he will magnify 25:42 Jesus and the victory that Jesus gained at cross on our behalf. 25:47 I love the fact that in Romans 5 picking up on the Holy Spirits 25:52 ministry that the apostle Paul says in slightly different 25:57 language he says verse 5 now hope does not disappoint because 26:01 the love of God--the love of God has been poured out in our 26:06 hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 26:10 So the Holy Spirits ongoing ministry after the cross is to 26:15 continually pour out into human hearts a magnified sense of the 26:22 love of God manifested in Christ at Calvary. 26:26 >>You know there's always this question as to why is it that in 26:31 the New Testament it's all about the Spirit and the Spirit and 26:33 the pouring down the day of Pentecost. 26:35 When you read the Old Testament it seems a bit quiet in regard 26:38 to the Spirit. 26:39 But that's exactly the point I was trying to make earlier is 26:43 that when you read the Old Testament the presence of Jesus 26:46 is veiled as well. 26:48 It's in shadow but in the New Testament as Jesus pumps up the 26:52 volume so to speak and reveals himself more fully only then 26:56 does the Spirit come and reveals himself more fully because his 27:01 point is simply to magnify what Christ has done. 27:04 >>That's good. 27:05 >>So Jesus pumps up the volume. 27:07 The Holy Spirit by necessity has to pump up the volume because 27:11 he's just simply magnifying or revealing what Christ is 27:17 actually doing. 27:18 >>Now we've talked about how that Jesus suffered at Calvary 27:22 and suffers because of the sin problem. 27:25 We've talked about how the father also suffers. 27:29 But Jesus and the father suffer as members of the triune love 27:35 relationship between father, son and Holy Spirit. 27:38 Is there biblical evidence that the Holy Spirit also is involved 27:43 in the suffering that is the result of the sin problem and 27:47 the impact that it's had on our world? 27:50 Does the Holy Spirit also experience suffering? 27:53 >>I think the answer is yes we can say certainly the answer is 27:58 yes because he's a member of the Godhead and God is love. 28:02 >> At least indirectly, at least the bare minimum. 28:04 >>But I would go to a passage in Romans 8 I don't know if that's 28:08 what you're thinking 28:09 >>That's exactly what I was thinking. 28:10 >>Romans 8 then Romans 8 is we were just talking at one of the 28:14 breaks there how there are just certain passages in your 28:17 preaching ministry and in your study that you just gravitate 28:20 toward and I think we are all in agreeance that 2 Corinthians 5 28:24 is big for us. 28:25 Romans 8 is huge for me. 28:27 Romans 8 is one of those passages that I mean I will 28:30 probably read dozens of times a year. 28:33 Now certainly dozens--it's just I just go here. 28:35 I'm like a magnet to Romans 8 I just and especially in the wake 28:41 of the earthquake I was in Christ Church, New Zealand 28:44 February 22 when the earthquake struck right down town, hundreds 28:49 of people ended up dying in that earthquake and I was there. 28:53 The building was doing--it was a really traumatic experience not 28:58 so much because I was afraid for my life. 29:00 I actually had peace through the whole thing but just to see this 29:04 beautiful, quaint little English city, English type city just 29:09 devastated in 20 seconds. 29:11 And I was asked the next Sabbath so the earthquake happened 29:16 February 22 I think it was a Monday or a Tuesday I don't 29:19 remember the exact day. 29:20 The following Sabbath I was asked to preach in the church, 29:24 now that's a tall order. 29:26 Preaching at funerals that's a tall order but you're gonna go 29:28 preach their town is devastated the Christ Church Cathedral 29:31 which is the icon of their city devastated. 29:33 The CBD Central Business District devastated. 29:35 I mean you have hundreds dead they're still searching for 29:38 survivors at this point and they say would you come preach to us 29:42 Pastor? 29:44 That's a tall order so like the magnet when it came time for me 29:49 to preach I'm going to Romans 8 in that situation. 29:52 And in Romans 8 I'll just kind of quickly race through this 29:56 here. 29:57 Paul basically says in verse 18 for I consider that the 29:59 sufferings of this present time which I thought was a perfect 30:02 lead in for the situation there, the sufferings of this present 30:07 time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which 30:09 shall be revealed in us, Paul says. 30:11 Paul I love here what he says because he's not diminishing our 30:15 sufferings. 30:17 He's not causing us or asking us to deny the reality of suffering 30:21 in the world. 30:22 But what he is saying is that by comparison suffering cannot 30:25 compete with glory. 30:27 Then in verse 19 for the earnest expectation of the creation and 30:32 this gets into where we are going Ty with this restoration 30:34 of all things eagerly waits for the sons of God. 30:38 So Paul's point here is that the destiny of the earth and the 30:43 destiny of humanity are wrapped together. 30:45 Symbolically Christ, Adam rather is made of the earth. 30:50 The meek shall inherit the earth. 30:51 We sometimes think yeah the earth, the earth. 30:54 But God is redeeming the earth. 30:57 God is redeeming all of us. 30:59 He's redeeming the universe. 31:01 >>In fact when we talk about quote unquote going to heaven 31:04 and eternal life according to Revelation 21 and 22 heaven 31:08 turns out to be a merger of heaven and earth. 31:12 Actually the redeemed are going to live here forever-on earth 31:15 renewed. 31:16 >>So let me--that's right so let me just race through this the 31:19 creation was subjected to futility. 31:21 This is the fall not willingly but because of him who subjected 31:24 it but there was always hope, in hope. 31:26 Because the creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of 31:30 corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 31:33 And maybe we could just pause there and appreciate just how 31:36 far removed this earth is whether environmentally, 31:40 militarily, socially, familiarly from the earth that God 31:44 intended. 31:46 I mean the thing is just falling apart at the seems. 31:48 You all know that I'm a bird watcher. 31:49 I love birds. 31:50 And I go out to watch birds and my family is really into it. 31:53 I could spend the next hour or two talking to you about the 31:57 various avian tragedies that have taken place just in the 32:00 last hundred years. 32:02 I mean the earth is waxing old like a garment. 32:06 Not just in the birds but in the--biologists actually say 32:10 that birds perhaps more than any other single species are an 32:14 indicator species because they are migratory. 32:16 So if your bird populations start going down significantly 32:20 something's wrong. 32:21 That's the world that we live in. 32:23 the world is falling a part and the creation itself pulses. 32:26 He personifies creation here as groaning as just this isn't the 32:31 way it's supposed to be. 32:32 Verse 22 for the whole creation groans and labors with birth 32:37 pains together until now and that'll be a passage familiar to 32:39 us because Jesus spoke about that didn't he. 32:43 He said all of this is the beginning of birth pains. 32:45 >>I couldn't help to think about Jeffrey when you said 32:47 groaning---groaning----ohhh--bec ause we've been 32:49 experiencing----ohhh, ohh so you know there's a lot of pain 32:52 there. 32:53 Something's wrong. 32:54 >>I'm only 30 and I'm groaning so. 32:55 >>Something's wrong. 32:58 >>You're groaning. 32:59 >>I love the metaphor of birth pains because birth pains are 33:01 intentional, they're directional and here's the best part, they 33:04 end in new life. 33:07 So it's this beautiful picture that the earth waxing old as a 33:11 garment. 33:12 It's actually birth pains. 33:13 It's not the end of a thing. 33:14 >>The end is just the beginning. 33:15 >> It's the beginning of a thing. 33:17 Ok now here's the point and not only that but we also who have 33:22 the first fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves, Christians, 33:25 Jeffry and others. 33:26 We groan within ourselves. 33:28 What are we groaning for? 33:29 Because our back aches, because our head aches? 33:31 Not so much. 33:32 That's a product of it but primarily because we are eagerly 33:34 waiting for the redemption of our body. 33:38 So now don't miss that he says the creation is groaning and 33:42 then he says even we Christians are groaning, longing for 33:45 something better. 33:46 Now watch this for we are saved in this hope. 33:49 The hope that something better is coming. 33:51 But hope that is seen is not hope for why does one hope for 33:54 what he sees but if we hope for what we do not see we eagerly 33:57 wait for it. 33:58 He uses that word 3 times, eager, we're eager, we're eager. 34:01 Now watch this verse 26 likewise the spirit also helps in our 34:06 weaknesses. 34:07 For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought to 34:11 but the spirit himself makes intercession for us with 34:14 groaning that cannot be uttered. 34:16 Now just let that settle in on you and I remember when I 34:20 preached that day in Christ Church I said look not only is 34:22 creation itself groaning heaving in quakes such as this but 34:26 people are groaning and even we as Christians groan. 34:29 We long for a better experience whether in our families or in 34:33 our bodies or in our spirits. 34:34 Human beings are groaning. 34:35 We live on a broken planet. 34:37 And I love this when we don't know what to say or how to pray 34:40 or how to groan Paul says that the spirit himself he comes 34:44 along side us in the spirit groans with us, beside us and 34:50 for us things that can't be uttered. 34:54 >>Yes. 34:55 >>Verse 27 because he is searching our hearts. 34:57 >>That's right. 34:59 >>So he's groaning because he's searching our hearts along side 35:02 us because he's searching our hearts and knows the mind. 35:04 I love that. 35:05 It's beautiful. 35:06 >>Groaning is a fascinating word--what kind of words would 35:10 be synonyms for groaning? 35:12 Groaning is a manifestation of internal agony that is expressed 35:18 in an audible way but without vocabulary I guess. 35:24 It's just what does it mean to groan? 35:26 It means to suffer. 35:28 So the Holy Spirit is suffering? 35:30 The Holy Spirit feels the suffering that impacts our 35:35 world. 35:36 >>Of course. 35:37 >>The actual Greek is to sigh or to murmur which is [deep breath 35:42 let out] 35:44 >>That's right. 35:45 >>You know it's what we do when we're feeling something anxed 35:47 anguish, heartache. 35:48 That's what we do. 35:49 >I love that. 35:50 I love that. 35:51 The reason I love that and everything you're saying about 35:53 groaning is because often times the Spirit is viewed as this 35:57 energy. 35:58 >>Yes. 35:59 >>This light, this essence that kind of floats in the air but 36:03 you're giving us its emotion. 36:05 >>The Holy Spirit is a person, a being. 36:09 >>When you read the book of Acts and we're doing, praise God our 36:11 convocation is going to be on the book of Acts. 36:14 Or have already been done by the time these go. 36:17 But the whole thing when you read through the book of Acts 36:19 you cannot escape the fact that the Spirit is a person. 36:22 I mean he just keeps showing up. 36:24 The Spirit said and it felt good to us, it seemed good to us and 36:27 to the Spirit and you've lied to the Spirit. 36:30 He's mysterious. 36:31 >>Admittedly. 36:33 >>But a person as much as the father and the son are persons. 36:37 >>Totally. 36:38 >>Yeah I think that the idea that the father, son and Holy 36:42 Spirit are all suffering is grounded and centered in the 36:46 idea that God is love isn't it? 36:48 >>That's right. 36:49 >>Because love is the means by which suffering occurs if you 36:56 don't love you don't suffer. 37:00 Right? 37:01 The more I remember Jeffry you just mentioned recently 37:05 witnessing the passing of your mother in law and that just 37:09 brought me right back to my own experience as a young man a 37:14 number of years ago witnessing the death of my mother. 37:18 She was very young. 37:20 She was only 42 and for a period of nearly 2 years Sue and I 37:25 ministered to her physical needs and just watched her deteriorate 37:31 and die. 37:32 And it was--it was painful, it was emotionally painful but 37:37 think about this we, I'm speaking of the immediate 37:40 content just Sue and I, we're fallen, jaded, dysfunctional 37:46 human beings and we find it painful to witness the suffering 37:52 of someone we love with all the love we have but with still a 37:57 broken limited love. 37:59 God's love is infinite and therefore infinitely sensitive 38:04 right? 38:05 >>Yes. 38:06 >>So God's suffering must be in magnitude far beyond any 38:12 suffering that any human beings have ever experienced right? 38:18 >>Totally. 38:19 >>Let me put a trivia question to you guys. 38:21 What is the first thing that Paul says about love in the love 38:26 chapter, do you remember? 38:27 When he goes into his description in verse 4 38:30 >>Love is. 38:33 >>Do you remember it? 38:34 Suffers long. 38:35 The very first, and the word there is patience which comes 38:36 from the Latin to suffer which is why you can understand why 38:39 that word would become related, why we would call doctors 38:42 patients--patients. 38:43 He's a patient because he's suffering. 38:46 And we suffer when we wait. 38:49 We want something now so patience and suffers long or 38:53 long suffering sometimes--that's all the same etymology there. 38:57 So I love when you say God suffers the most because he 39:01 loves the most and the first thing that Paul says when he's 39:04 gonna tell us what love is and what love isn't he says oh 39:07 love---oh love suffers long. 39:09 >>And it's kind. 39:11 >>So love feels? 39:12 >>Of course it does. 39:14 >>By its very nature love feels what others feel. 39:18 I mentioned that book Desire of Ages at one point and there's a 39:23 statement in the book that stands out to me it says not a 39:25 sigh is breathed, not a pain is felt, not a throb vibrates or 39:29 not a throb pierces the heart but the throb vibrates to the 39:33 father's heart. 39:34 I think I got that a little bit wrong but the idea is in all our 39:38 afflictions he is afflicted. 39:40 God suffers in our suffering. 39:44 >>You know what's even more powerful I think in my mind and 39:48 I see this in the story of David and Absalom. 39:50 We have a tendency as human beings to put up walls to some 39:55 degree so that we don't suffer and we put those walls up with 39:59 intention and with evidence. 40:01 Oh that's a bad person, that's a bad person, that's a bad person, 40:04 wall goes up and they suffer and we don't feel it as much because 40:10 we don't need to, they're not related to us, they're not nice 40:12 people, whatever. 40:13 But God doesn't put up those walls. 40:15 God's love remains extended to every member of the human family 40:20 and when you look at David he was nearly overcome with grief 40:25 toward a son who had not only rebelled against him but wanted 40:28 to kill him. 40:29 >>It's a picture of the heart of God. 40:30 >>Well it reminds me of the story of the prodigal son 40:32 because when you think about the story of the prodigal son and I 40:35 don't know how much time we have left this segment but that is a 40:37 story where this son comes to his father and basically says 40:40 drop dead. 40:44 >>We have to go to. 40:45 >>We have to--we have to. 40:47 >>And yet the father when you see David with Absalom he's so 40:51 overcome with grief when he hears that Absalom is dead that 40:54 he wishes he would have died in his stead. 40:57 And that is the cross to me that is the essence of the love of 41:01 the father for all humanity. 41:03 We see this in the picture of the prodigal son. 41:06 >>Yes 41:07 >>I love that James God is always emotionally open never 41:10 emotionally closed. 41:12 He always feels what we feel. 41:14 Let's just keep exploring this in our final segment but we do 41:16 need to take a break and then we're come right back. 41:19 Announcer: Every human heart needs a deep abiding sense of 41:24 God's love, joy and peace. 41:27 With multiplied millions in print Secrets of Peace is in 41:30 constant demand as a timeless treasure of spiritual insight. 41:35 For your free copy call 877-585-1111 or write to Light 41:41 Bearers 37457 Jasper Lowell Road, Jasper, OR 97438. 41:47 Once again for your free copy of Secrets of Peace call 41:51 877-585-1111 or write to Light Bearers 37457 Jasper Lowell 41:59 Road, Jasper, OR 97438. 42:02 Simply ask for Secrets of Peace. 42:06 >>Everything--everything in the Bible Old Testament, New 42:15 Testament everything points to the heart of God. 42:17 Everything reveals to him the love of God. 42:19 This parable of the lost son is so powerful to me in fact in my 42:23 Bible version here on this IPad it says here the parable of the 42:27 lost son I would say the parable of the lost world. 42:30 >>Where are you at? 42:32 >>Acts or Luke 15. 42:33 >>Ok 42:34 >>That's kind of 42:35 >>Prodigal son. 42:36 >>Prodigal son excuse me that's kind of where we left off at our 42:38 break. 42:39 The parable of the lost son, the parable of the lost world. 42:41 And we look here at a man who had these two sons and the 42:44 younger said to him--to his father verse 12 Luke 15 give me 42:49 the portions of goods that falls to me. 42:51 The phrase that's out there is that falls to me at your death. 42:56 In other words I want my inheritance, which is something 42:59 that they were to get when the father died. 43:01 What he's basically saying is you know I'd kind of like to 43:04 have my inheritance right now I wish you were dead. 43:06 Drop dead. 43:07 >>And even though you're alive I don't want to hang out with you 43:09 any more I'm out of here. 43:10 >>I'm out of here. 43:12 That's us. 43:13 That's the world. 43:14 >>Self-centeredness. 43:15 >>And the picture the beautiful picture that we have here is the 43:17 picture of the father. 43:19 The father who not only gives, gives, gives but longs, longs, 43:22 longs, waits, waits, waits and then after the prodigal goes 43:26 through and wastes all this money in this far country with 43:30 this luxurious living and has nowhere to go but to a pig sty 43:34 and thinks about in a very misunderstood sense that his 43:41 father might be merciful to him by making him a servant. 43:45 In other words totally misunderstands even the heart of 43:47 his father. 43:49 Heads back with this very small understanding of the goodness of 43:52 his father, heads back to the father and the father sees him a 43:55 long ways off. 43:57 >>Beautiful. 43:58 >>Runs to meet him which was very questionable for a Jew to 44:02 do an elderly Jewish man to do but he just lays aside his 44:07 garment, lays aside all 44:09 >>And his pride. 44:11 >>Of his pride, everything and just goes after the son, wraps 44:13 his arms around him, restores him fully to son ship, gives him 44:17 a robe, gives him a ring, makes a feast. 44:19 >>Restores I love that. 44:21 >>Restores and that's the point. 44:22 Restoration. 44:23 Complete restoration takes place not because the son, the 44:27 prodigal son is worthy of any of it. 44:29 Not because he can say well dad I didn't spend everything I've 44:32 got here a little bit of money that I can give you. 44:33 I'm gonna make it up to you I'm going to be a servant. 44:35 I'm going to earn that money back. 44:38 No. 44:39 There was nothing that he could do but simply throw himself at 44:41 the mercy of his father. 44:42 >>Sounds to me like the story of the prodigal son should be the 44:46 story of the prodigal father. 44:48 The word prodigal just means lavish and wasteful and of 44:54 course the son was wasteful he took everything the father gave 44:57 him and he just poured it out in lavish luxurious living as you 45:02 said. 45:03 But there's a sense in which there's the father who is 45:07 extending and pouring out himself in a lavish way upon the 45:13 son and I guess even from an outside perspective in a 45:20 wasteful way. 45:21 But from the father's aspect. 45:22 >>It certainly seemed that way to the older brother. 45:24 >>Yeah to the older brother for sure. 45:25 But from the fathers perspective there's no waste. 45:28 I love my son and I'm going to give everything to have him 45:33 back. 45:34 >>These 3 parables that Jesus tells in Luke 15 that lost coin, 45:37 lost sheep and lost son, every one is both individual and 45:42 universal. 45:43 In other words it's about you as a person, you as a person, you 45:46 as a person, me as a person. 45:47 But it's also about this earth. 45:49 This earth is the lost sheep. 45:51 This earth is the lost coin and this earth is the lost son. 45:55 We are the one and everyone of those things that the father 45:58 does for the son puts a new robe on him, puts a ring on his 46:02 finger, sandals on his feet, kills the fatted calf. 46:04 Every one of those things communicates status, 46:07 reinstatement. 46:08 >>Love it. 46:10 >>So he was that there was no talk of working your way back, 46:13 no, restoration, reinstatement, we're back on plan A. 46:17 >>I'll just be a servant--no you're my son. 46:20 >>What do you mean a servant? 46:22 Yeah. 46:23 Absolutely. 46:24 >>Quit talking like that you're not my servant you are my son. 46:26 And he is received back with enthusiasm and joy. 46:30 >>When the older brother comes up he tries to talk the same 46:33 way, all these years he says I've been serving you and you 46:36 never gave me a little goat to celebrate with my friends and 46:39 the father just in astonishment what? 46:40 >>So he also has the same misconception. 46:43 >>Same mentality, both sons relate to their father--I say it 46:46 this way they're acting like servants when they're really 46:51 sons. 46:52 God has called us to son ship to daughter ship in Christ not 46:57 to--now a servant in a sense but not servant in the earning 47:01 sense. 47:03 >>Right and that's what they're thinking in the earning sense. 47:05 >>In the earning sense. 47:06 >>And in both instances this loops back to where we began in 47:10 these conversations and that's in both instances there relating 47:16 to their father as servants because they have a fundamental 47:19 misconception of the character of their father. 47:24 >>That's right. 47:25 >>Some how they have a distortion. 47:28 A distorted view of him. 47:30 >>You know I was just sitting back here taking in what you 47:33 guys were saying and I just couldn't help but think about 47:35 something that's not in the story but something that's very 47:38 real to us and we've talked about it a little bit but I just 47:40 couldn't help think about how life was after the son was 47:44 restored a week later, a month later, a year later, ten years 47:47 later how life was as the father begins to age and the son is 47:52 there in the home and every time the son looks at the father and 47:56 every time the son does something for the father and 47:59 every time the son is needed by the father how he's just there, 48:02 there, there. 48:04 And I couldn't help I mean I almost it almost brought tears 48:07 because I almost thought you know the love and the devotion 48:09 that that son must have had for his father from that day on. 48:13 And every time he looked at his father he just felt and could 48:17 sense the love coming out from him and then that love returning 48:20 back to him in this circle of beneficence. 48:25 I might be putting you on the spot Jeffry--way back like 9 or 48:30 10 conversations ago you had this great little line about the 48:33 love of God communicated to replicated in--do you remember 48:38 that by heart and then reflected back do you? 48:41 >>Vaguely basically the whole idea there was that the whole 48:43 purpose for God's creating this world in humanity is for the 48:48 perfect love of God to be manifested to people, replicated 48:55 in people and then reflected back from people. 49:00 >>That's it. 49:01 That's it right there. 49:02 That's the picture that came to my mind. 49:03 >>And those parables you're mentioning you've said 49:06 already--you've stated already that they basically represent 49:10 restoration--reinstatement. 49:11 And I'd like to go to Acts chapter 3 because this is why we 49:16 preach. 49:19 This is why we preach in Acts chapter 3 we've talked about the 49:22 spirit, we've talked about the church and in Acts chapter 49:26 3--we're looking at verse 18 and this is a statement that's right 49:33 in the middle of a sermon that Peter is preaching and he's 49:36 making these statements in regard to what is the point form 49:40 here on? 49:42 Christ has come Christ has been crucified; he's been resurrected 49:45 verse 18 but those things which God foretold by the mouth of all 49:50 his prophets that the Christ would suffer he has thus 49:54 fulfilled. 49:56 Ok the covenant verse 19 repent therefore and be converted that 50:00 your sins may be blotted out so that the times of refreshing may 50:05 come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send Jesus 50:09 Christ who was preached to you before and here's the point in 50:13 verse 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of 50:22 restoration of all things which God has spoken by the mouth 50:26 of all his holy prophets since the world began. 50:30 Peter is saying the whole point of God's covenant is the 50:37 restoration of all things. 50:38 And this is the thing that every prophet has proclaimed. 50:42 This is the message from Genesis all the way through. 50:45 This is the message that every prophet brought to God's people. 50:50 And this is basically why we preach isn't it? 50:52 We're preaching basically the kingdom of God and we're 50:55 inviting people into kingdom living while their feet are 51:00 still planted on this earth. 51:01 So when Jesus came--remember the statement the kingdom of heaven 51:05 is within you? 51:06 Remember that? 51:08 >>Of course. 51:09 >>We don't have to wait 'til we get to heaven to begin to live 51:11 restoration living. 51:13 We're invited to the table to live that right now I think one 51:16 old Baptist Preacher said something like it's not a pie in 51:21 the sky bye and bye. 51:23 But a steak on the plate while you wait. 51:26 Because we get to sample, we get to taste this thing right now 51:30 while we're still on earth. 51:31 And the reason I'm in ministry the reason I've given my heart 51:35 to the gospel and the reason that I am just so thrilled to 51:39 just be a servant and a son is because God has demonstrated a 51:45 better way. 51:47 God has invited us into a realm of existence where I can learn 51:51 what it truly means to be human. 51:53 And that's a beautiful thing and in Acts 3 Peter's saying that's 51:58 what the church is here for and no wonder what happens in the 52:03 book of Acts is that this simple, powerful, compelling, 52:05 clear message literally takes by storm the entire Mediterranean 52:10 world. 52:11 >>Oh yeah. 52:12 >>In the context of Acts 3 the reason that Peter uses that 52:15 language, the restoration of all things is that this lame man at 52:19 the beginning of Acts 3 has been healed. 52:20 A lame man who was apparently a particular--particularly 52:25 terrible case that needed healing when he's been healed 52:30 they come and say did you--what's going on here? 52:32 And they come under scrutiny from the religious leaders and 52:35 in the context of the restoration of this man. 52:38 Peter looks and says I'm preaching to you the restoration 52:43 of all things. 52:44 >>Everything's going this way. 52:46 >>Everything is going this way. 52:47 >>He was a living parable that crippled man. 52:50 >>That's right. 52:51 >>I never seen that before. 52:52 I'm preaching that. 52:53 [Laughter] 52:56 >>'Cause I've been assigned that chapter. 52:59 He is a living parable. 53:01 >>According to this program you already preached it. 53:05 >>That's true. 53:06 >>How did it go? 53:08 [Laughter] 53:10 >>I love this one verse Romans chapter 14 verse 17 for the 53:12 kingdom is not meat and drink but righteousness and joy in the 53:17 Holy Ghost. 53:18 All those things right now in the Holy Spirit. 53:21 >>What was it you had a great line there the feet on the 53:25 ground. 53:26 >>Kingdom living while your feet are still planted. 53:28 >>And the restoration of all things I like this two 53:33 Revelation 21--Revelation 22 we go back to the prodigal, we see 53:36 the son reinstated, he's given everything. 53:40 He is made I think he's put in a position at least equal to but 53:45 it seems like better I mean in a sense it seems like better. 53:47 I mean in a sense it seems like. 53:48 >>Of course. 53:50 >>His heart is changed so >Yeah this is what we see in 53:51 Revelation 21. 53:52 This planet becomes the center of the universe. 53:55 >>That's right. 53:57 >>Revelation 21 let me just read it just a couple of verses here 53:58 Revelation 21 beginning with verse 1 I saw a new heaven and a 54:02 new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed 54:04 away. 54:06 There was no more sea and I John saw the holy city the New 54:08 Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven where ever it is 54:13 right now prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 54:16 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the 54:19 tabernacle of God is with man and he will dwell with the. 54:24 Isn't that what we've been talking about from the 54:26 beginning. 54:27 Isn't that what God wanted and they shall be his people 54:31 covenant and God himself shall be with them and be their God. 54:34 >>I Love that. 54:35 That's beautiful. 54:36 >>That's the Eden-to-Eden perspective right there man. 54:38 You're idea in Revelation and now we're back face-to-face with 54:41 God. 54:42 We started face to face with God Genesis 1 and 2, all hell breaks 54:45 lose, the fall of humanity, this state of depravity and the 54:50 promise in Genesis 3:15 for the coming deliverer and sandwiched 54:54 in between these two pictures of Eden lost Eden restored. 54:58 >>God is trying to be with us, be with us, be with us. 55:00 >> The entire Bible--the entire Bible is journey of not man 55:04 seeking God but God seeking man. 55:07 >>Not sheep seeking a shepherd but a shepherd seeking his 55:09 sheep. 55:11 >>There you go. 55:12 >>So the pentacle of the restoration isn't just the 55:13 material blessing of heaven and eternal life and 55:17 >>Secondary. 55:18 >>Yeah the glorious New Jerusalem, streets of Gold and 55:21 the pearly gates and all of that. 55:23 That's not the point. 55:24 The point is being with God and God being with us. 55:29 God is a with kind of God. 55:30 He's a hang out kind of God. 55:33 He's with it and he's with us and at this point he's going to 55:39 be with us in the most intimate personal sense imaginable in 55:43 verse 4 it says he's going to wipe away all tears from their 55:46 eyes and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying. 55:49 There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed 55:53 away then he who sat on the throne said behold I make all 55:57 things new. 55:59 This is the kind of God if we can imagine this almighty, 56:02 omnipotent God. 56:03 This is the kind of God who reaches up his hand and brushes 56:07 tears from cheeks. 56:09 This is a super sensitive God full of heart who is relational. 56:16 He wants to be with us and the first thing he's going to do in 56:19 our immediate presence once the New Jerusalem has come down to 56:25 earth. 56:26 There's gonna be some tears. 56:27 >>Of course. 56:28 >>We're obviously we're overwhelmed by the entire 56:34 history of the sin problem and evil and how it's impacted the 56:38 world and we've revisited during the millennium all kinds of very 56:43 serious episodes in human history that have impacted us 56:46 individually and he wipes tears from our eyes. 56:51 >>And what will wipe the tears from his eyes? 56:54 Just the fact of our presence. 56:57 And that's powerful. 56:59 >>Enjoyed fellowship. 57:00 >>We wipe his tears. 57:03 >>We began this series by talking a lot about the fall and 57:06 Satan and the enemy and the accuser and all of this 57:10 Revelation 21, 22 happens after Revelation 20 where the accuser 57:14 finally with all of those that align themselves with him they 57:18 receive what they want. 57:22 That's the thing that's important. 57:23 They want a life apart from God but a life apart from God is no 57:26 life. 57:27 It's death. 57:28 And so you have Revelation 20 is the end of Satan, the end of 57:31 sin, the end of death. 57:32 Death itself is thrown into the lake of fire. 57:36 >>Evil, pain, suffering all of it. 57:38 >>No more and then Revelation 21, 22 some of those tears have 57:41 to be tears of joy. 57:43 >>Oh yeah for sure. 57:45 >>Because it's not the end. 57:47 It's funny how the end of the Bible, the last book of the 57:50 Bible is the beginning of the story. 57:52 >>The end is just the beginning. 57:54 What a way to live to know this what a different paradigm now to 57:59 wake up tomorrow morning and to just go about normal life with 58:04 this as the backdrop. 58:05 That's a beautiful thing. 58:07 >>Bottom line of this whole series guys, this is where we 58:10 land the plane. 58:11 God is love in the most beautiful sense imaginable. 58:15 >>Amen 58:18 >>Hallelujah. 58:19 >>Praise God. 58:20 >>Love it. 58:21 Announcer: to receive our free monthly news letter and a list 58:27 of Light Bearers resources visit us online at lightbearers.org or 58:30 call us toll free at 1-877-585-1111. 58:34 You can also write to us at Light Bearers 37457 Jasper 58:39 Lowell Road, Jasper, OR 97438. |
Revised 2014-12-17