The Unveiling, Part 2

Today on Summit line with Judy Greer, John, and the church are about to go through a time of intense persecution and suffering brothers and sisters when you go through an intense, persecution. You will be the sentimental Jesus. So we make usual woman I you will be a life coach was offering you words of encouragement to see Jesus as he really is a God and raising the dead controls all things will diminish and limit light the Bible teaching ministry at pastor author and legend JD Greer. I'm your host Molly that events if you flip through the book of Revelation, with no previous Bible knowledge would probably sound like a piece of science fiction word, someone's crazy dream journal it for sure would make quite a piece.

Perhaps what you agree and all the talk of dragons and bees can be pretty confusing and quite frankly scary will take pastor JD is walking us through this book of prophecy explaining how God has pulled back the curtain to give us a glimpse of the spiritual reality in times he titled this message and daily and it's part of our series called the whole story back in Revelation, John the apostle John wrote the gospel of John. By the way, opens the book.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show a service of things that must soon take place in here we encounter our first mystery, she Revelation is a word that means unfailing pulling back the curtain to show something. I'm a question that we ask is what is it that is being unveiled.

What is the revelation of you see is a revelation of Jesus Christ, or is it a revelation by Jesus Christ other things that must is a revelation of Jesus or a revelation from Jesus, the answer is both the revelation of Jesus and a revelation from Jesus of the things that must soon take place. Two things I want to focus on to that in the first is the unveiling of our world. Jesus pulls back the curtain on the politics that are going on and then Morgan go to the unveiling of Jesus himself.

The unveiling of a world that's in Revelation 17.

So what you leave. Revelation 1 flyer Revelation 17 Revelation chapter 17. The unveiling of our world. One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls seven bowls are a series of judgments guys pouring out of your one of them came to me and said, I will show you the punishment about great prostitute sits by many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries. Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and at seven heads and 10 horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls gel a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The name written on her forehead was a mystery Babylon the great, the mother of all prostitutes and of the abominations of the verse six that I saw the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her I was greatly astonished this woman this prostitute represents all the enemies of God. All those who do not belong to Jesus you notice first Sue that her customers are keying from every kingdom and their inhabitants all over the earth were not talking about one people or one culture was all not all cultures and all people. Hers is a universal kingdom. You see there's essentially only two kingdoms in the world there is hers, and there is Jesus's kingdom. You belong either to one or the other things you notice about her for taking notes. You may want to jot down first. She's a prostitute it's because sin at its core.

Listen, this is spiritual adultery at its course and is not bad the sin at its core is giving to something else.

What you should give the God.

Second, G call Babylon. Babylon is the name of the city with a long history in the Bible and it symbolizes man's rebellion against God. The essence of the spirit of Babylon is I will do what I wanted to, rather than what God wants me to do. I'll be the point. I'll accomplish and I'll do it in my strength.

I'll be the center third. She's really attractive. She entices people all over the world. Even John himself.

Verse six is awestruck by her living with her.

Verse two is intoxicating for a while wasn't LCN sin is enjoyable. Sin is fun for us easily just ends in a place that you don't want to be fourth missile may come as a surprise to you. She is super religious one of her companions.

You'll find out as the false prophet and what in the verse three we read as later false religion false religion engages in a lot of activity for God, but illicitly does so without ever putting God back in the simple place he belongs in our hearts, for she has successfully seduced a lot of God's people is on the next average operating verse four. He had this morning. Then I heard another voice from heaven say, her, my people you will not share her sense so you will not receive any of her plagues. It is possible to be one of God's people and still be swept in her enchantments. In fact I would say it is more than just possible I would say it is what is happening to the majority of us to center your life. Number six. She hates Jesus this prostitute. Verse nine BC sitting on his describes having seven heads, which John says symbolizes seven mountains in seven games now scholar sadist converting the seven Roman emperors were seven empires that have come and gone or are to come before Jesus comes back what they have in common is that they're all drunk with the blood of God's people, because this woman has always hated Jesus and his people was in some churches need to get your mind around this in every generation true followers of Jesus have been hated and will be hated by the predominant world system under the control of this prostitute don't be surprised when they misrepresent your intelligence when they construe your convictions when in the line your motives, prostitutes, hatred of us is a hatred of Jesus. There is number seven last one she is destroyed she is destroyed. This is getting separate humans lead you what the text says that writing verse six payer back the way she also paid others in Dublin. According to our works in the cup in which you mix.

Mix of double portion of rap are as much as she glorified herself and lived luxuriously give her that much torment and grief because she says in her heart I'm a queen and I will never see grief. For this reason her plagues will come in one day, death and grief, and famine. She will be burned up with fire is a loris who judges are his mighty easy Revelation shows you there.

Two rival kingdoms with two rival kings we kingdoms or call Babylon and cyano Jerusalem. There are two rival kings. One thing is you and the other thing is Jesus, and both those kings can't win in the end of the year when it's all said and done, the bales pulled back. Jesus is the one who raise and those who stood with Jesus will stand eternally in heaven with him and those who stood against Jesus in life will perish forever.

Apart from him, and eternal death.

John says this is the curtain pullback in the world. That's what it looks like that's what's going on and that's the end of it. We see the world and that was a good Jesus unveiled back to chapter 1 Revelation chapter 1 starburst in verse and I was in the spirit. John said of the Lord's day and are behind me a voice loud voice like a trumpet that turned see the voice of speaking to me in on turning I saw seven golden lampstands in the midst of the lampstands one like the Son of Man, the Lord to look like a human being called long robe and a golden sash around his chest.

That is, by the way, the garments that the high priest beware. So you a man who is not Jewish high priest. Verse 14 heirs of his head was white like white wool, like snow, his eyes like a flame of fire.

His feet were like burnished bronze, which is just an image of safe judgment. It's like you got the ultimate work boot on refined in a furnace of his voice was like the roar of many waters.

In his right hand he held seven stars, and another seven stars represent the seven churches representing all churches that Jesus was holding there in his hand. Verse 16 from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword good time, but once folks feel even inside the wind, raise the dead and multiply the loaves and the fish is now coming out like a sharp two-edged sword.

His face was like the #shining in full strength. John said I could even look at it because it was good burned my eyes out. Verse 17 when I saw him, I fell at his feet as though I were dead, don't you. Keep in mind, Jesus had been John's BFF on earth.

This is the first time they are seeing each other in almost 60 years. What would you expect that reunion to be like if you had seen dancing a beloved friend your best friend 60 years who it saved you by the way what you think could happen.

John falls and Jesus feel as though we were dead. That's not even a figure of speech. He literally going to die. People have this image of Jesus is a sad jobless guy with tears in his eyes to wander around in a row getting platitudes and talk a lot about his feelings versus not true anywhere but in revelation you see an entirely different picture of Jesus altogether. He's not a man of sorrows, with tears in his eyes. If I go this is not irreverently sound like a guy didn't want to be in the back alley is on steel toed shoes and crazy hair and I think I'm a white shirt is looking for a fight.

That's the image that you gave Jesus here now. Is this a different Jesus and the one John is a different know of course not to treat me told, Jesus had always had this kind of power but throughout his ministry on earth. It had been failed but now Revelation 1. It is unveiled and it is appears in all its strength to the question is why she's disappearing this way to John now. Why not reappear. John as John knew them on earth because he John in the church are about to go through a time of intense persecution and suffering brothers and sisters when you go through an intense time of persecution. You will meet us in the middle. Jesus simply makes you feel warm and night, you will be a life coach was offering you words of encouragement to see Jesus as he really is is a God and raising the dead and controls all things ultimate is an to watch what happens next. Watch what happens that for 70 but he laid his right hand on me, say fear not, not John I and on the last. In other words, John. I'm absolutely and totally in control. On the first of the last evenings I was there when it started now with the last one standing. That also means on everything in the middle.

In the meantime I'm guiding everything be a bit on a non-CM also beat you why God did all my appointed ends this fall go and memorize the first chapter of Ephesians with some friends of mine and when the phrases that just got stuck in my mind keeps reappearing in various times I can get it out of my mind of all I say the ball makes it Ephesians 111.

We have predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. Jesus has a purpose. This purpose on earth is made pretty clear he is building a church meeting the church spread the gospel throughout the earth. The purpose of him who works not most things, not things in the church all things according to the counsel of his will was read. There is not one stray molecule in all the universe there is not one stray cancer cell. There is not one stray spouse. There is not one stray child.

There is nothing that is out side of the one who is the first of the last this week I read it again of my time with God on that Matthew had awaited.

Jesus says the exact same thing. These are not two sparrows sold for a set very significant everybody yet not one of them falls on the ground apart from your father, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

You can get more micro than that the hairs of your head, the birds in the sky that nobody paid you did to do about bird falls to the ground outside the woods anybody here. I don't know, God knows me somehow part of it. Now what I'm not saying would be very clear on this.

What I'm not saying is that is that God is the one making anything happen to you. We live in a fallen world, and the result is a lot of people do a lot of terrible things to each other what I am saying is that Jesus promises that none of those things are out of his control. He promises to use every single one of them is a part of his perfect purposes in your life to glorify his name and to extend salvation through you and I know you can see it all right now.

Many of his purposes for what he does remain hidden until eternity. Until suddenly is unveiled and you see that not one molecule was out of place and he accomplished everything he had set himself to. I compared it before to a tapestry tapestry we see when these bugs are best at this exquisite beautiful design on one side, nothing is out of place within you look on the backside of that tapestry that looks all the threads are like a chaotic jumbled mess. I told you that life for us right now often feel like backside in a tapestry like things are out of control and wisest disease will never hear why this happened every year, what happens in the book of Revelation is Jesus takes a tapestry flips on the other side is that not one thing was out of place. There is not one stray thing that was happening.

I was using it all for the purposes I had the church and for your life to Jesus goes on on the living one I die I die for you John by crucifixion bold, I'm alive forevermore. Now I get the keys of death and Hades, which is of course another word for L. John not only my immensely powerful I die for you so that you would never have to face death and I'm now using my greatest power.

My greatest power. The keys of death and Hades. I am using them to perfect my purposes in you. I've got the keys to everything that ever threaten you death and Hades and I got the keys and seasons came up. John what are you afraid of John. You really feel like Caesar is winning.

John you really feel like I can't control cancer.

John, do you think that I don't know you need a job you really worried about your marriage. John looked at me, look at me in my power, look at my control, my love, John why doubt that powerful hand sitting on John's shoulder that can which column storms that hand it creates matter out of nothing is nail scarred for John said it is the proof that every single thing that Jesus is doing the will is not out of Jesus's control and that he is pursuing his purpose that he is set forth on the foundation of the world and not one of his plans for you or your family will ever fail is at two points. I think we should end with 11. Do you need to see Jesus this way this weekend when you go to a time of suffering persecution. Whether it's caused by the beast of Revelation 11 or the mockery of your friends are a professor, when you go to a time of the lost job, what you need to see is this vision of Jesus. John opens of the book of Revelation is a very is very yes standing at the end of history. The first and the last fear of death, one with all these things in his hand and he went. I see I told you before about the time that I binge watched like three seasons of 24, I'm a late adopter on pretty much everything I know some of you might find that hard to believe but I really am is on the people talk about Emily. I don't want to answer my wife and I bought a season of vortices and from a friend. We watched three seasons in 72 hours. I'm not sure this is possible, but I think we pulled off and I remember in one of the seasons you sleep after Jack died right about that and the season ended, I was like a dive and I went down to the season for the Florida season. There's your Jack on the cover, not unlike some is not had enough here. Looks like he died. His face is on the next cover he's gonna star for the next several seasons.

If I can figure out long enough to get a new showing some to be president right things turn out well for Jack Bauer see where it's all headed what what the book of Revelation is John essentially saying his face is still at the last. It's on the cover. I see him standing. I see that he's the first and the last, which means he's got everything in the middle. I see that there's not one stray molecule. I see that even in this dark, dank cave in the middle of the Isle of Patmos that the sovereign Lord Jesus is in control and that he rules history, not Caesar and that there is nothing that is the purpose that is not going to fail you know that is true. In John's day. It is true in our day to be true tomorrow. It'll be true in the four Horsemen, whenever that is.

It could be true in the day to get a diagnosis of cancer. It could be true. On the day that you lose your job.

It could be true.

On the day that your spouse walks out on you.

There is not a single day in all of history to Jesus Christ is not Lord over you pull back the veil and you look at behavior seems always sovereign over.

Maybe that's what you need to see this week is you need to see Jesus like this is not a Jesus, you just comes around and helps you in the middle of a jam is a Jesus who is sovereign over at all was prophesied and perfected things in you and not one thing that he does not adhere to your head will fall without his permission. Because it's all according to his quiet there's a second thing that I thought take away from this DC window shows you about what we should be about the zoo this shows is about what we should be about eight years, let me if this is what Jesus is doing on earth he's got the seven stars in his hand that shows it what you put your right hand is what you're doing at the moment the seven stars representing the seven churches which represent all churches are in his hand and that's his focus should not be what we are about.

Also, I know not all you call the work of the church like I but a Jesus shed his blood for the church and what's in his right hand right now is the church.

It ought to be the center of your life. It means you should not be a spectator that shows up on the weekend for a religious peptalk you want to be involved in the community, and you ought to be pursuing the mission of the church Jesus put it what you like and stand you ought to make this the sensor you ought to make this the center of your life and the church is one commission is spreading the gospel, which means that which is what you should be giving the primary place of your life to your not all called the ministry, which are all called to see the gospel spread to the farthest corners of your and there are still so many people who have never heard the point of the book of Revelation is not to give you details for idle speculation about the nature of the second coming point is to motivate you to give your life to make sure everybody knows about his first coming because he was first communicated, bringing salvation. The second time he comes bringing judgment and not everybody knows about the first coming which means are not ready for the second coming. The Gospels only good news if it gets there in time, which means that if I understand this is that your sovereign know what you're doing. So I'm to give my life to give my time, my treasures, my talent because I know what you're up to Johnson's coming back soon. Every eyes give us the these are the things first one that I go to shortly take place. The time is near the whole verse 7B is coming out church live accordingly.seeing behind the veil and that's what God wants you to be up to. Once you bow your heads all over campus is that you would think those questions do you see Jesus this way this weekend. What hair is falling out of your head what sparrow has dropped on your sky you feel like now that you're in the Isle of Patmos forgotten. For sake you see Jesus standing above it all. The first of the last met him asking the sub question is maybe think about that. There are some of you here right now that are walking in rebellion to Jesus and you know it seems Jesus is not convenient religious fixture you at your life you the sovereign Lord of history you can look at him one day in the face.

John, his best friend could look at his face because it was shining like the sun pull strength. Revelation 6 is when people who are not Jesus's friends see that face different call on the mountains to cover the hide from that face your answer to him one day some of you see, to repent either very similar Jesus.

I'm sorry because I live according to my way, not your way. I surrender to you right now not receive you as my Savior.

I accept the gift that you gave them time for me on the cross so that I can be saved. I receive it right now is our last question. You may Jesus's agenda. Your agenda sharing the gospel most important part of your life means telling others about the good news of Jesus might be a priority. There is once again the gospel at work in every page of our Bible pastor Jeannie Greer challenges us to make reaching more people with the gospel. An essential part of our life today on Senate life that's not an easy task.

Were going to need some help and some solid spiritual disciplines to live out our faith every single day that Jenny Reif taken a great resource to help us foster the discipline of reading the Bible. Can you tell us a little bit about it so full disclosure, Molly, and you have to agree that you sit there silently that's less awkward. I think of all this message series I've ever done.

The summa church with maybe the exceptions of the series. The Romans, I think this whole story was my personal favorite, because just something about seeing the ark of Scripture and seeing how from start to finish.

There's one story that's been told that every single page of your Bible points to Jesus that the point of the Bible is not giving you principles and precepts and stories and he rose to emulate. It's there to point you to a savior to hope in an and a God to worship and adore on this resource that we are providing this Bible accustomed Bible in partnership with with a great Christian publisher called Crossway is going to help you as you as you read the Bible take to see that are not that we didn't like edit the words of Scripture is just a yes version of the Bible which I've used for for many years so you can pick up where we are in the series. At that respond. The Bible gives him a context around it. You can give it to somebody that you think might need encouragement and reading the Bible you for me say this, Molly. But one of my one of my my favorite ways of seeing what I do is helping people read the Bible better. It's not what you get for me when you're listening. It's what you get when you're sitting there in your favorite chair with a light on. That's why Philip man if I can help somebody in Iraq. We got one on one, that would be a success. My book so it had a blue leather cover coming to love it.

Molly got great curb appeal goes good in your hand you get a picture of it on our website@jeanniegreer.com works. I leave let's get you a copy of this life Bible today. It comes with our thanks when you donate to support this program on the radio and online my listeners link to in that another listener to think things you can extend that to someone else. By doing your part to keep this program going gift today and remember to ask for your letter Bible, 335-5226 524. You can donate the Bible online Jeannie here.com I Molly benefits in defining you to join us again tomorrow. Picture rediscovering that so hard think about the theme again Friday on Senate night Jeannie Greer, 19