Victory and Judgment

One of the truth which is impacted me in our study of the book of Revelation is that there is no neutral zone with God.

That is God, and that is the devil that is Christ that is the antichrist. There are those who receive the mark of the beast and those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

There is eternal life, and that is eternal death. There is heaven, and there is hell. There is no neutral zone with God when Joshua many years ago, spoke to the tribes of Israel. He encourage them to serve the true and the living God, and to put away idols.

His point was this make up your minds. If you're going to worship the idols worship them, but if there is a true God live for him and then he said that's for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

He was saying to them, there is no neutrality you can straddle the fence, you can try have it both ways. You can have food in the world underfoot. Following Christ make up your mind Elijah the Old Testament prophet face facing the false prophets of Baal says in first Kings 18.

How long the ESV says will you go on limping between two opinions. How long are you going to hesitate long as you going to waiver long are you going to be ambivalence, either you're going to serve the Lord, are you going to serve the false gods of Baal. He says of the Lord is God, follow him. But if I will then follow him, that is your kind to be neutral. You can be neutral on the Super Bowl. I am really neutral.

I don't care who wins his lungs is not a patriot. So there we are.

So I neutral, but you can be that with God. I know some of you want to sit on the fence. Some of you want, as it were, to be on the devil side on Saturday night with your friends and live like the devil and then on Sunday coming into charge and to sing the praises of God. But Jesus tells us, and all the of the word of God tells us, and suddenly the book of Revelation is telling us that you must make up your mind. The Bible says today is the day of salvation today if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart today is the day of decision today. You must decide if you're going to love and serve Jesus Christ and follow him wherever he will lead you are. You're going to follow yourself or follow someone else. Some false idol in your life for subject this morning is really good. Revelation 14 is victory and judgment. Revelation 14 is an amazing chapter in the Bible. A very frightening chapter in many ways, and it is a preview of the events at the end of the tribulation period of seven years which will occur on our theft of the church's rapture to be forever with the Lord. So the chronology of the recoverable of Revelation is not being advanced in Revelation chapter 14 it will be resumed in chapter 16, which we will see in a few weeks as the seven bowls of the wrath of God poured out right at the end of the tribulation before the Lord Jesus Christ returns and for all of eternity that are going to be those worshiping the Lamb and put all of eternity that are going to be those experiencing the eternal judgment of God. I thought of that this week. As I prayed I thought how awful to think that there could be people sitting in the service at Calvary church listening to the word of God listening to the gospel and would forever experience the judgment of God is a very solemn possibility I have in my office upstairs little plaque with the words of Richard Baxter I preached was never sure to preach again is a dying man to dieting man. For some, this could be the last time to hear the gospel today, the Lord Jesus Christ could come today. I could die today. You could die and so as one who is called by God. I have a responsibility. I know this is a popular preaching in many ways our brother preach about how to have a happy life and how to bring their own dreams and fulfill your own ambitions and all of that kind of stuff that may not be much nicer to hear, but I'm a servant of God and called to preach I'm called to be faithful to the word of God.

Over the next four weeks you will get a break from the book of Revelation to my fellow passenger preaching in the next two Sundays and then the following two Sundays I will be back.

Then we will have a missions conference. Let's open the Bible to Revelation 14 Revelation is the last book in the Bible and were continuing in our study last week we saw chapter 13 today is chapter 14 and there are three major divisions in Revelation 14 John says in verse one.

Then I looked, or I saw Kai I Don in Greek, verse six. Then I saw again the same Greek expression and then verse 14 then I looked then I saw, so there's division verse one through five verse six through verse 13 and then verses 14 to the end.

We want to think of the first section, no, as we see the triumph of followers of the Lamb in the first five verses in chapters 12 and 13, when viewing the tribulation. From the perspective of the devil now, and Revelation 14 reviewing the tribulation from another perspective, and that is from God's perspective instead of the devil, and the antichrist.

We have the Lamb instead of those who follow the beast as we saw in verse three of chapter 13. We have those who follow the Lamb.

Verse four. In our chapter. First of all there's one as we think of the identity of the hundred and 44,000 verse one John says, then I looked, is another vision I saw in Boulder mind science to the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his father's name written on their foreheads member. This look back at verse eight of chapter 13, John says, and all who dwell on our hearts will worship and that is worship the Antichrist. Everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. Here is a group. The names are written in the Lamb's book of life, and no the name of the Lamb is written on their forehead. According to verse one God protects the special group of the hundred and 44,000 that we seen before protects them through the fierce persecution of the tribulation. These are as we saw from chapter 7. These are 12,000 Jewish believers coming from each of the 12 tribes totaling 144,000 under Chapter 4 we read this remarkable statement that God seal them a seal of security, a seal of ownership, a seal of protection and they these are hundred and 44,000 believers come to saving faith in Christ during the tribulation. And they survive the tribulation. Notice the number here in chapter 14 verse 144,000 is exactly the same number as of the beginning of the tribe tribulation, that we saw in Revelation 7 not one of them. Not one of the hundred and 44,000 has denied the faith, not one of them has been killed by the Antichrist.

God has supernaturally protected them through the tribulation. They have refused to take the mark of the Antichrist.

Although there is no neutral zone in the tribulation. I don't have the mark of the beast, the antichrist or you have the name of the Lamb and they have as we see in verse one, they have the name of the Lamb and his father's name written on their foreheads clear evidence that they belong to Jesus. People know that your folder of Jesus. One of the secret disciples. You talk about Jesus when it's convenient but with some of your friends you hide that. Not these they have the name of the Lamb and the father on the four heads, and John sees them here on Mount Zion with alarm the Lamb of course is our Lord Jesus, something Mount Zion here refers to heaven, but this is the earthly Jerusalem. We know from Scripture that when Jesus Christ returns to set top his messianic kingdom is actually rain for the period of a thousand years, he will have his throne. His center on Mount Zion Jerusalem, which will be the very center of the world. And King Jesus will reign from Jerusalem Sam to tells us about the nations ranging against the Messiah and read in Psalm two of our sakes.

As for me, I have set my king in Mount Zion, my holy hill at the end of the tribulation.

These are hundred and 44,000 believers having the name of the Lamb of the father on their foreheads will then enter into the millennial kingdom and Christ of course will rule as King of Kings and Lord of lords so that identity verse one that activity verses two and three and I heard John says a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder the voice I had was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they were singing a new song before the throne and before the living and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the hundred and 44,000 who had been redeemed from the Arabs there singing a new song that entering a new experience doing that before the four living creatures, and that the elders were sitting them before earlier in our study. Imagine this tremendous song.

Here are the hundred and 44,000 who have been redeemed from the there singing. They have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 6 at the end of the question is asked who can shelter us from the wrath of the Lamb. We have been redeemed, purchased by the blood of the Lamb. They have been protected from the wrath of the Lamb and their names are in the Lamb's book of life and John hears this voice from heaven says here like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder when I was or should know that the University my first time in North America. I went to Niagara Falls and particularly on the Canadian side. I'm sorry Americans but on the Canadian side. It's absolutely breathtaking and you hear the roar of that mighty waters that it is the roar of mighty waters.

I always love the sons of water to see the manager say that, but to hear the sirens and furthermore, John says that will be the sound of harpists playing on their harps. This music this song. This experience must truly have been awesome at this point hundred and 44,000 are on earth, heaven is meeting was the description of the hundred and 44,000 verse four. It is these who have not defile themselves with women for their work. Virgins it is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits, for God and the Lamb, and in their mouths. No lie was fine, for they are blameless hundred and 44,000 holy and pure believers set apart from others, says there virgins that may mean that there may have been celibate during the tribulation audit may be referring to their spiritual and moral purity. Certainly there pure John says here, they are blameless. Unlike the enemy who is a deceiver. No lie is found in their mode is not refreshing the hundred and 44 I was in people who are 100% honest answers. John Bunyan love this expression in verse four. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. Pure truthful and following the Lamb mission statement is being at making authentic followers of Jesus Christ that the Lamb do you follow the Lamb wherever he goes is what it means to be a Christian to follow Christ, we are disciples we follow Jesus and hear this hundred and 44,000 during the tribulation in a terrible time. The worst time imaginable on earth.

They are still faithful to the Lamb.

And in spite of the persecution, in spite of the antichrist in spite of the destruction following on the art they are faithful they follow the Lamb wherever he goes. What a wonderful example for you and me can ask you to follow the Lamb this week wherever he takes you to keep your eyes on Jesus, Christ and then John says they are verse four there firstfruits for God and the Lamb. Firstfruits refers to the firstfruits of the harvest, the very best you have a harvest of apples you give the very best to God as an offering is the firstfruits you have 100 little lambs you take the very best of those lamps in your presents that Lamb were these lambs to the Lord as firstfruits that the point these are hundred and 44,000 Jewish believers who have come through the tribulation are the first fruits the first of those who are going to be saved during the tribulation. And who are going to enter into the millennial kingdom. Turn with me to Zechariah chapter 8 you say Zachariah, where is that it's not difficult to find the last book in the Old Testament is Malachi just before, Malachi is Zechariah so you can find it with her eat without even if you don't have these little tabs that some people have we: a training wheels but you may need them. And that's fine. But Malachi, Zechariah, Malachi, it seems to bring about us when the person next to you sagely confine Zechariah and what can the Christian's is he so I got it marked.

I have a tab there so I can get it quickly. Zechariah 8 verse 23. Listen to this. Talking about the millennium and of the tribulation. Many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the Lord is a still future that says a lot of holes in those days.

10 men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the role of a Jew saying let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

These are hundred and 44,000 of the firstfruits and yet in the millennial kingdom.

Many will take hold is it what of a Jewish believer and say we know that the Lord is with you so that for every Jew that I attend Gentiles as it were there, the firstfruits for God and the Lamb. No wonder there singing this new song of praise, 11 verses six through 13. We have the announcements of heaven. Three angels are going to speak if you notice in Revelation how much there is to do with angels.

First of all, the first angel in verses six and seven then John says I saw another angel flying directly overhead with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth to every nation and tribe and language and people and descend with a loud voice, fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come and worship him who made heaven – the sea and the springs of water. Picture this. Here is an angel flying in midair and he's got the message of the proclamation.

What is it John says it is an eternal gospel proclaiming to those who dwell on the air to every nation and tribe and language and people think of wonderful. This is of the grace of God before the climactic judgment of God before these balls of judgment that were going to read and in chapter 16, and so on. Later in this book right before our Lord Jesus returns the worst of the fury of God is going to be poured out but before that happens, the gospel and eternal gospel is preached to everyone on the earth. Judgment is coming, but the eternal gospel is being proclaimed to everyone how is it eternal because it's eternal in its promise of eternal life to those who place their faith in Jesus Christ. If you did, they receive Christ as your Savior. You are given as a gift of God, eternal life, and you will never perish, but gospel is about eternal salvation. The gospel is about the forgiveness of sins. The gospel is about getting right with God is not about you feeling good about yourself by Christ, by the dramatic change is about eternal life. Jesus says in Matthew 24 verse 14 that the gospel of the kingdom would be proclaimed by the whole world I court as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. The end is about to come. But before Leanne finally comes. There is this amazing scene of an angel in midair going over all of the world so that everyone, irrespective of the tongue or language or nation will hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Today as I speak there still people in the world who never heard the name of Jesus Christ are tribes of people who don't have the Bible in their own language. I've never had someone come and tell them about Jesus Christ. But before the Lord Jesus returns before he returns the room with a rod of iron in the gospel is going to be the proclaim to everyone how like God. Here is the last call of grace is aware to people who up until this point have rebelled against God, and have rejected the message of salvation in Jesus Christ in spite of witnessing the dreadful judgments of the seals and the trumpets of God. They have not yet believed and the angel is saying here verse seven. Fear God, give him glory, why, why fear God, why give glory to God answer because the hour of his judgment has come. And God is the creator. The angel says you might have announced the sea and the springs of water.

God is the creator and calls on all of us to worship him and to serve him and those who respond in faith will enter the eternal kingdom of God. What a message. How gracious of God to give everyone yet another opportunity to receive Christ before the judgment comes. Verse seven because the hour of his judgment has come. Now there's a second angel verse eight another angel second followed, saying fall and fall and this is the preview will learn more about Bible and in chapter 17 and 18 second angel followed, saying fall and fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.

Here is the announcement of the fall of Babylon. The full details which will come in chapter 17 and 18. This message by another angel is not a message of salvation, but as a message of doom fallen, fallen is Babylon the great by something the Bible and refers a particular city.

Perhaps the ancient city of Babylon in present-day Iraq. I will be rebuilds. Remember, Saddam Hussein was a plan to do that. Whether that's the case or not.

I don't know, but this I do know from Scripture that Babylon is an evil system of worldwide religion and power. It's the apostate church is the kingdom of the Antichrist. It's minds attempts to put himself at the center of the universe and to worship himself rather than God. Why does it fall because of his sexual immorality. A picture of the spiritual unfaithfulness to Christ and the embracing of falsehood, idolatry and immorality. Some of you remember Genesis 11 the story of the Tower of Babel Bible.

Hebrew Babylon and Greek hero man who, instead of worshiping God.

God's way, think they can do better and they're going to reach God then they're going to build God but is an act of rebellion is an act of defiance against God and God scatters the nation's that's bubbling here is a prophecy of the judgment which will occur at the end of the tribulation.

Right before our Lord Jesus Christ returns this evil system. This worldwide religion embraced by so many will be utterly destroyed when Christ returns with power and glory is 1/3 Angel versus nine through 11 and another angel third followed them, saying with a loud voice. If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand. He also will drink the wine of God's wrath poured full strength into the cup of his anger and he will be tormented with fire and self, and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb and the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night. These worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name or a message judgment. The angel is saying that those who have worshiped the beast, those who receive the mark of the Antichrist on their hand or on their forehead. What will happen to them. I quote verse 10 they will drink the wine of God's wrath is a message not of grace but of salvation with a message of judgment.

Verse 10 the wine of God's wrath poured full strength into the cup of his anger is your concept of God include one of wrath and judgment. We knew what kind of God. You constructed in your mind you see will go. This is a loving God is a loving God to eat.

He cares for us. It's true. He is a loving God, but is also a God of righteousness.

He's a God of holiness. He's a God who will judge all evil even in our world in a fallen world.

We have judges either. Before judges who were kind, compassionate man and woman, but they still have to pass judgment sometimes very serious judgment on someone who is broken the law passing judgment and being compassionate and being kinder are not diametrically opposed. Of course God is loving that demonstrated that the senses angel over all of the world to preach the eternal gospel, God is holy. I know people today ridicule. This would say all at Calvary church. They believe in hell. Five.

Preaching well this is the truth of God's word judgment is coming. I led your elders and deacons and I asked them one of the first questions I ask them do they believe that this book is the word of God to the believe it is inerrant as this out. I thought a day and they said yes and I say yes that this is our authority that you want to throw away the Bible. If you want to construct a God in your own image. If you want to think that you're wiser than God and rejects Scripture you have that choice as a human being, but it doesn't alter the fact that God's judgment is coming and whether you believe it, and whether you, Rick, ridicule it, or whatever your reaction to it doesn't change the points that God's judgment is coming in is mentioned not just here in Revelation, we studied some time ago. The book of Hebrews writer says that it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, the writer of Hebrews says that our God is a consuming fire. Paul writes in second Thessalonians 1 verses seven through 10.

The apostle Paul writes when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels and flaming fire inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer listening to this there will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. When he comes on that day, what day here in Revelation 14 that day has come.

Did you notice that the torment of the fire and sulfur. Verse 10 Takes Pl. in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the God is always righteous in all he does have this term in verse 11 goes on forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night. The Bible teaches the eternal judgment of the lots in fact no one spoke more about how the unquenchable fire as Jesus called it no one's in the New Testament speaks more about hell than our Lord Jesus Christ.

Why are we so selective in the words of Jesus to me doesn't make sense.

I can understand the atheist I can understand the person who says this is not the word of God on my Facebook recently there was a young lady telling me why do we put so much thought an old book.

I can understand that point of view.

If you don't believe in a God, but if you believe in a God that you believe in a God who revealed himself. If you believe in a God who sends his son, who exemplifies truth and teaches us truth. How can we reject his word just because it doesn't conform to our politically correct tolerant society where you can live as you like and do what you do with no consequences.

Not so with God in the day of judgment has come. Even in the gospel. There is a warning best known verse for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. The pointer is its implicit in John 316. In the summary of the gospel that if you do not believe in the son. You will not have eternal life. But you, in fact, will perish, and that said in John 336. The one who believes in the son has life the one who does not obey the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. John 336. The teaching of Jesus you believe if you believe that how can you continue and not get right with God. Can you put your head on your pillow tonight.

If you believe in eternal judgment.

And you're not yet saved by the grace of God. I know there's a contrast of verses 12 and 13. There are those who are going to have no rest, but God gives eternal rest to his followers. Verse 12 here is a call for the endurance of the saints. Those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus and I had a voice from heaven saying right this Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on blessed indeed, says the spirit, that they may rest from their labors for their deeds follow them at these two brilliant versus the followers of Jesus who are being persecuted. There is this sweet, brilliant reminder to be strong to endure, to keep the commandments to keep their faith in Jesus, we saw that last week in chapter 13. At the end of verse 10. He was a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. Our lives are not in danger because we follow Jesus, but I ask you to ensure I asked you to be strong, I urge you to obey the teaching of Scripture to keep the faith. I've been 11 years almost exactly at Calvary church order privileges been to be your pastor.

Thank you for your prayers and all of the encouragement over these years, but over these 11 years I've seen people come to Calvary church. I've seen people seemingly get very excited about Jesus who have continued a little bit and then the drift away. They have not been Joubert where they authentic followers of Jesus will sends only the Lord knows, but perhaps they have embraced a cultural convenient Christianity, but I actually went through some emotional experience, but there was no substance.

There was no authentic faith. One of the characteristics here are those who enjoy restaurant scriptures and Paul says when he's about to die. I've kept the faith. I've I've run the race he's kept his eyes on Christ, he has endured. We understand this difficult. There's all kinds of pressures on us. The satellite for Christ.

There's all kinds of pressures to to be like the insipid cultural Christianity that surrounds us to ensure and think of the wonderful promise tremendous comfort to all who die in the Lord, particularly to those of been martyred for their faith. Blessed are the dead hell could that be a blessing. What is a blessing.

Eternal blessings await all followers of Jesus with her. We die with the Lord comes. I have a blessed future, through the grace of God were not saved by our words but these good deeds demonstrate that we are authentic followers of Jesus is when one of her brothers and sisters in Christ. I don't pity them know it's tough for those of us who are laughed. We miss them but for them it is very far better some under the 16 verse 15 precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints with a deadly precious because for the believer is absent from the body and at home with the Lord a resting place, not just for the body of resting place for the sole for those who trust Christ is one of the promises of the gospel is not coming to me and I will give you rest would begin on that rash which will be consummated in the eternal rest of heaven itself. In verses 14 through 20 were going to do this very quickly. We have the judgments of God we have the final judgment. Then I look says John is another vision and behold a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand and another angel came out of the temple, calling him with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud put in your sickle and reap, for the power to reap has come for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe involving this so he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle and another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire. You called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the wine over the for its grapes are ripe so the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the great harvest of the earth. And through it into the great winepress of the wrath of God and the winepress was trodden outside the city is Jerusalem, and blood flowed from the winepress as high as a horse's bridle for 1600 stadia.

The judgment of God. This is the final judgment, the Son of Man, in verse 14 is another is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ and he's coming as judge. Does it surprise you that Jesus would be the church listen to his words. John five verse 21.

Just as the father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the son gives life to whom he will. The father judges no one, but is given all judgment to the son. Verse 27, and he's given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man is coming in judgment as the Son of Man warnings have been given over and over again and have largely been ignored and know God's judgment is coming our verse 15 the hour to reap has come, sharp sickle is a sign of reaping the harvest weathers beautiful field of weights and the farmer comes with a sickle and cut sitdown number. Jesus told the story of the separation from the of the wheat from the tears of the wheat from the weeds and he sends his angels, and its divided what happens to the weeds. What happens to the tears in the parable in Matthew 13 therethrough on into the furnace. They are fear is presented as a harvest and it's fully ripe. That is right for the judgment of God is another angel in verse 16 also has a sharp sickle coming out of the temple, and again, the call is to gather the harvest for its verse 18 footage grapes are right. The sharpness of the Saco symbolizes the severity of the judgment and destruction. The fire mentioned in verse 18 is a symbol also of judgment is judging the what happens here is a great harvest the grapes are ripe they are fully ripe and they're going to be thrown in this analogy here into the great winepress of the wrath of God was the picture. The pictures of plump grapes, which are sold ripe that there almost bursting with juice. The final time of judgment has come. The time of the judgment of God in this matter for of the buying and of grapes is frequently used in the Old Testament when speaking of Israel was the picture. Just as you take these ripe grapes throw the mentor winepress and trampled on them. That's what happened and if there fully ripe. The juice is going to splash up so God's judgment is hardened, but this is the word of God. God's judgment is so severe that the blood flows from the great winepress of the wrath of God. Verse 19 and it sparks up as high as the horses bridle for almost 200 miles going to be this charitable.the final battle of Armageddon that will learn more about judgment as the armies of the antichrist, the armies of the devil himself attack against the armies of our Lord Jesus Christ's turnover to chapter 19 then here it is. Revelation 19 the Lord Jesus returns is that I got on the white horse verse 15 from his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.

He will tread know this analogy again the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, king of kings and Lord of lords also described graphically in Joel three verses 12 through 16. This is the final battle of Armageddon that the return of our Lord. This is a preview nothing and no one can withstand the return of Jesus to make Revelation 14 incredible chapters in the sorry I kind of raced over in many ways is a frightening chapters into but on the other hand, I find it tremendously comforting because two authentic followers of Jesus we are protected by God. Just as 144,000 during the tribulation were sealed by God. So every child of God is sealed with the Holy Spirit sealed Paul says in Ephesians 4, verse 30 sealed to the day of our redemption, that those of us who have or trust in Jesus Christ are eternally secure. Jesus, the good Shepherd gives us eternal life, and we will never perish. Paul says in Philippians 1 that he who has began a good work and you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ's Jude says unto him who is able to keep us faultless unto us was able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to him. The only true God be glory and on the dominion and might not wonderful to know the day I received Christ as my Savior. I was granted eternal life and I shall never perish. And that's true of you, my dear brother and sister. Whatever the difficulty of this life. Whatever the assaults of the enemy.

Whatever the disappointments. Whatever the persecution that is nothing in the whole universe. No, not even the devil himself nor the Antichrist himself. Not all of the fallen angels can take us or snatch a side of the father's hand. We are eternally protected. Paul says magnificently.

There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, sheltered by the blood of the Lamb to have the assurance if not, I ask you. I plead with you, I plead with you today to trust Christ to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you recite some of you have sat there and you've come perhaps four weeks. Yes, perhaps even four years and have never yet personally open your heart to receive Christ were you doing this day of judgment is coming, Revelation 14, even on a casual reading reminds us that the judgment of God is going to fall on this thing. The only place of safe is in the Lord Jesus Christ Lamb of God member John the Baptist says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the all of my sin has been taken away, paid for by the Lamb. We began by saying redeemed by the blood of the Lamb redeemed and freed and I asking her when you trust Savior is what Jesus says come into me give you rest stop your struggle. Stop your belly, repent of your sin and receive Christ I'm good to give you an opportunity opportunity to do that right now numbers understand and saying in the battle hymn of the Republic, which is taken largely from Revelation 14 of this week saying this magnificent hymn which is so rising may it be true of all of us that we have received Christ and that God's glory is upon us. Father you've given us your word and it's it's very clear it's you are an awesome God realizes a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living garden. We thank you for Savior, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Maybe somebody some girl some young man some older woman who's here and they're not right with you to come to church. They may even read the Bible, but have never personally trust that the Savior maybe do that now we pray the quietness of this moment father open, eyes open hearts to see their sin to see the rebellion over the horizon see the beauty of the Lamb of God that we have redeemed with the precious blood of Christ may each of us here trust Christ make the doors of this sanction is aware even the even as the doors of eternity itself that none will leave this building today who is not right with God have mercy upon us. We do pray thank you that this is a day of grace, that today is the day of salvation. We thank you in Christ name