Missions Conference - Saturday, April 29 2023 - 6:00 PM

Good evening. I send greetings from your brothers and sisters across the Arkansas, River in Oklahoma and Indian Country I live in Pryor Oklahoma which is right there at the Gateway of Cherokee Country and I'm thankful to be able to come in to proclaim the word of God. Thankful for this church. Thankful for the friendship that your pastor has shown me over the last eight or ten years. However, long it's been and has faster said that, I came to know him many years ago at Lee Creek. Baptist Church. Where Pastor Harold Smith was the the pastor for many, many years and just have such a profound respect for pastor Wade, and his love for Christ is Love For Truth is Zeal for the little church in, for the glory of God to be to be proclaimed among the Nations. And as Christians, we ought to have that deal, right? Proclaim Christ, they have that passion that desire to make known our Lord. Go to the ends of the Earth or tonight. I want to ask you to take your copy of God's word, and turn to the 7th chapter of the Book of Revelation. The seventh chapter of the Book of Revelation in my sermon title tonight is the chief end of global missions. The chief end of global missions. So, thankful to be accompanied by my beautiful wife, Stacy and we've been married this coming June 38 years and I we were high school sweethearts and were married at a very young age and shortly after we were married. The Lord converted me and ever since then. Marriage has been sweet.

We have two grown children and five grandchildren, and our children are serving the lord as well along side of us at Grace Life Church, prior where I pastor and have been there since the beginning. And I'm so thankful for them, thankful for the Lord that's worked in their life and we're praying, that God will be faithful and save my five grandkids. I pray everyday. God, would you save my grandchildren and use them for your name? So I can pray that God would call my grandson's into pastoral Ministry. I pray. God, will use them for his namesake. This is a very familiar, but yet glorious passage of scripture. I think you will be very familiar with. It's a passage that reveals to us the Glorious worship of the Saints. In heaven. And perhaps it is a strange text to preach at the missions conference, but I think, as we going along and work our way to the text, it will become evident and clear. This is a glorious text regarding missions and the call of God for us to go to the ends of the Earth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So if you're with me, we're going to pick up a shinai and read to the end of the chapter. This is the in infallible authoritative inspired inerrant and sufficient Word of Our God after these things I looked and behold a great multitude which no one could count. From every nation and all tribes and peoples in tongues standing Before the Throne in before the lamb, clothed in white, robes and palm branches were in their hands. And they cry out with a loud voice saying salvation to our God, who sits on the throne and to the lamb. And all the Angels were standing around the throne, and around the elders in the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worship God saying, amen. Blessed and blessing and glory and wisdom and Thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be to our god forever and ever. I'm in Then one of the elders answered saying to me, these who are clothed in white robes, who are they? And where have they come from? I said to him my Lord, you know, he said to me, these are the ones who come out of the Great Tribulation and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason. There Before the Throne of God and they serve him day and night in his Temple and he is what sets on the throne will will spread his Tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer nor thirst anymore, nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat for the lamb is in the center of the throne will be their Shepherd and will guide them to Springs of the Water of Life and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.

What a glorious passage of scripture. Let's pray where we do ask that, you would buy the holy spirit of God, Enlighten, our understanding or give us help. Lord. Not only to understand this text, but Lord, to have a passionate desire largest. See your name for claim to the ends of the Earth? That you may have a great thrown around your throne forever and ever worshipping you because your God and because you're worthy. So help us tonight. Help me to preach. That's already has been prayed. Father, hide me behind the cross made. Jesus Christ, be exalted installed and glorified. We ask this in Jesus name, amen. Hillsborough Baptist God does everything that God does for his own Glory. I know that this is a church that believes that God is exalted in Supreme above and Sovereign over all things. And you think about God being glorified in that being the name and the objective of the church, there's nothing higher. And there is nothing more worthy than for God to glorify more than his own name. There's nothing more valuable in the cosmos, there is no more glorious. Nor is there a more perfect being in the cosmos to give glory and honor to do for God to give glory to his own name is for him to set his affection upon the most glorious name in the whole Cosmos and for God, God forbid to put up on some less or more or less. Where the object would this be blasphemous? God. Rightly glorifies his own name because God Alone is transcendent. God is above all else, Isaiah 48, 11, a very familiar passage to you. Is that he's the Lord says, for my own sake for my own sake, I will act for how can my name be profaned and my glory? I will not give to another Throughout both the Old Testament and the new. We find that God asks, even with in terms of redemption for his own Glory, we see that in Ezekiel 36 especially verses, 22 and 23. The God says, I'm about to act, like I'm not going to act because of you. I'm going to ask for the sake of my Holy Name, which you have profaned among the nation's. God says I'm going to say but I'm going to save for the glory of my own name in official chapter one that Monumental chapter towering theology. That is there the Apostle Paul speaks about our Redemption and all the Glorious aspects of it. Speaking of the roots of God predetermine that plan he speaks of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and then he says in verse fixed six, the Reason God did this and listen to what he says to the praise of the glory, Of his grace, some idea of God's glory is the grand, ultimate motif of all of sacred scripture. So the god of Heaven, that is expressed in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is worthy of worship. That's why we have come together tonight. That is that is the goal in the aim of world missions. That God may receive the honor glory and worship. That is due him. So the aim of the goal of global missions, it's just that worship that God might be worshipped. How do I get this out at my church? That the chief end of global missions? Is not to win souls. That's not the chief end. Although that certainly involved. Although that is certainly necessary. The end of global missions is that God would receive do glory and worship that. God would be worshiped, John Piper once wrote famously. That missions is not the ultimate goal of the church worship is in that mission exist because warship doesn't That's why we go to the ends of the Earth. That's why we get on that double wide trailer house with wings and fly to the ends of the Earth to proclaim the Glorious Gospel of God to those that have not heard the wonderful. And superlative name of Jesus Christ, is that God might be worshipped by that people that God might receive the honor and glory to his name. Bell Baptist, are you aware that? There are three point three billion people around the globe that are unreachable, the gospel of Christ that do not worship God in spirit and in truth, 3.3 billion people, let that sink in for a moment that a billion is 1000 million. That there are three thousand million people that have never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Know the Wonderful Name of Christ falling up on their hearing and that is unacceptable unacceptable. Our commission from the Lord Jesus Christ is that we go and take the gospel to them. Our commission from the Lord Jesus Christ is that we make disciples of all Nations. At our goal is to teach them all that Jesus has commanded the bus. So the chief end of this government's mission is that God would be worshipped. We're familiar with the Westminster. Catechism, the first question, what is the chief end of man? But to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. So what is the chief end of global missions? It is one in this to worship glorify and to enjoy God forever. The text I just read to you and Revelation chapter 9, verses 9, to 17 is a a preview into the hallowed and eternal throne room of God, it is depicting. The Sanctified activities that take place in heaven. This is utterly glorious and erratically god-centered scene. That all of God's people have been gathered from the Four Winds, that's Matthew. I'm sorry. Mark, 1327, that the fullness of the number is depicted in the verses of the prick, happy that precedes, the text I am preaching tonight, the 144,000. This is a number. I believe that is figurative. Also did to describe what we find a verse 9 as this great multitude, one of the same number but here we see in our text at the chief end of missions is consummate in this text. Dr. Joel beeke called this multitude, the numberless church. Triumphant the numberless church triumphant. These are those that have populated Heaven because the gospel is gone to the ends of the Earth at the church has carried its Mission out. In Christ has gathered his bride and there, they are at the Throne of God with Christ. Front-and-center worshipping the Lord. What a picture it is, what a glorious thought, but that day is not. Now, is it that day? Is not? Now, we are still talking about 3.3 billion people on planet Earth that have never heard the saving message of Jesus Christ. Many of this great multitude. We find in our texts or yet, on reach. They've not yet heard. The Glorious gospel. Thank God for our missionaries are brothers and sisters have been called by God separated by the Holy Spirit end of this glorious Christ exalting work. I want to heard it said that if God called you to be a missionary, don't stoop to become a king. Put in the economy of God that this is Grand and Central to God's purpose and Grace. So we need the gospel. Go to the ends of the Earth. Are those that are among this, great throng of worshippers that in this moment are unconverted and do not know. Jesus Christ that they remain underneath God. Do wrath, John 6:63 says that the wrath of God abides up on them and it is our gospel Duty and if Christians are gospel Delight, the cast, The Gospel net into the multinational. Throng that Christ may have worshipers out of all tribes tongues and Nations. Romans 10, verse 14, and 15 gloriously tells us how then will they call upon him and who is not believe? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent just as it is written? How beautiful are the feet of those, who bring good news of good things, how beautiful are their feet. So it's my prayer tonight, brothers and sisters at Bethel, Baptist Church that we see the glory of this heavenly scene and that we by the grace of God will give our lives to make Christ known that God may receive the glory that's due to his name. The first thing I want to point out and our Texas in verses 9 through 12 that the chief end of global missions is glorified worship. Glorified worship. That's what we see the scene here that we looked at in our text I read moments ago is a scene that is piping hot with the vine warship that's being offered by saying that have been glorified and also Angel like beans that front and center. To the text. We see here is the Throne of God that God is centrally fine. Also that the Lamb of God Jesus Christ. Our Lord and savior is centrally find out in verse 9. Also, in verse 17 for the lamb is in the center of the throne. How much is a singing that it's appropriate that it's so transcended? It's almost Beyond The Power of Words to adequately. Describe what we see in this text, it's a glimpse of Heaven is just that a snapshot. It's a a preview of what going to happen and have addressed this on our midweek Services. I have been preaching to the Psalms song by song. I was in 66 Psalm 66 this Wednesday night and it'll the song that is really depressing, depicting. The glory of God worship the so many people have a wrong idea about heaven, will I get there? And I want to see Uncle Joe again and that may be true. I'm going to get to heaven and I can't wait to be there and then I'm going to be fishing there in that Heavenly Lake. You know, we get all these ideas but with the Bible paint a radically different picture than that, that we're going to be surrounding the Throne of God, completely. And all of Jesus Christ that we're going to be breathless as it is captured by the Transcendence in the beauty of Christ, and that we're going to Worship. Listen, Heaven is not about fishing. Heaven is not about standing on the edge of the Moon and casting a line Heaven is about Christ and it's Central to him and that we will be so Austra can buy him. That will be so captured by his Beauty And Glory that we will worship Him eternally and be satisfied by him completely. So here we see, John who is the one that the Lord is using giving him this vision of the, Isle of Patmos. Has so captured enamored by this. And there's no doubt in my mind that after John leaves Patmos, that he's more further compelled to make Christ known because he's experienced this cease seen this, this pictorial of Heaven, that's been filled with God's people who are passionately in uniformly, in gloriously worshipping Christ and reverently. I might add to the glory of God in this scene is just absolutely electric. I want to talk about some features that the tech shows to us about glorified warship. The first thing that the inspired text tells us is that this is a great multitude looking person. I'm with me. After these things I looked and behold a, what is it's a it's a great multitude, a great multitude, which no one could count from every nation and all tribes and peoples and Tom's standing Before the Throne and for the lamb and their clothes in white robes and they have palm branches in their hands. This word multitude, here has the idea and the original tongue of a group of people at a fairly large in size assembled together for what's purposed? A multitude of Common People 1st Corinthians. 1 tells us God has not called a bunch of whistle britches to his kingdom is called a bunch of nobodies like me and you Remember who you were? Such were some of you. You were thieves Rotten Scoundrels, Liars, adulterers, homosexuals. Some, you were here like that before you came to know Christ, but you've been washed, you been playing as you've been Sanctified by the Lord Jesus Christ. So here we're looking at a, a throng of people that have been redeemed, people that have been called by the effectual call of Christ on my teeth wrong. The prefix here in the original, police is a great multitude and abundant a large multitude of people. And the idea here is that this congregation is larger than our human ability to number. This is a church in numerable, this is the Fulfillment of the abrahamic promise. We find in Genesis 22, when God tells Abraham, he says, I will greatly bless you. I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens that has the sand, which is on the seashore and your seed shall possess the Gate of their enemies in your seed. All of the nations of the Earth shall be blessed because you will obey my voice. This is the Fulfillment of that promise. This is also the Fulfillment of the Great Commission. The Lord has given us and Matthew 28:19 and 20 year all very familiar with this, is it go into all the world and to make disciples right there were to publish the gospel that weird to proclaim the glories of Christ and those that have been seized upon by God, those that have been rescued. These are the ones that are surrounding the Throne of God, and what I call white-hot, worship their hearts, are on fire for Christ. This is a massive throng of redeem sinners from different and multiple ethnic groups and people. These are the seed that were promised to Abraham. This is that numerous strong, like the sand of the sea shore that we find in the text of Genesis chapter 22. Listen, my friend Heavens going to be mildly populated Heaven's going to be filled with the mighty strong of worshipers, and Jesus Christ will be front-and-center and that God will receive worship from and innumerable host that are infinite. God will be praised by a cosmic host of myriad's upon marriage. This is a great multitude. Secondly, we see in the text that this to redeem the multitude. Hear it tells us in this text that their clothes and white robes and that they have palm branches in their hands. So this is a multitude of multi-ethnic saints, gathered around the Throne of God, clothes and white robes these or those that have been washed in the blood of Christ, these are those who or for whom Christ, lay his life down. These are those that have been covered with a white linen linen of the righteousness of the of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. That's been imputed to their account by faith. In his name. I want you to know that the content of their warship it's brilliant there a static because of their great salvation.

It's amazing. You know I live in the right in the thraldom of the charismatic Movement by the way as a young man I was in that movement for 10 years and God graciously called me out that God providentially put the Puritans into my hand is a young young. Police officer a young aspiring preacher that started reading. It started seeing a great Gulf between what the gospel that was preached by the forerunners. That we know what would represent and how they gave their lives up in what I was hearing. And my preacher would tell me that, you know, if you get saved, God will give you a new Mercedes. If you get saved, I will get you a a bigger house. As if God some sort of the cosmic Genie that you've read the bottle, just right and Bam, you get all the stuff that you want, and I never taught people to love God. They simply love what they thought, God would give them, and they were main Pagan in their practices. But yet thought the guy was going to give them all these things. Well, that we all know. That's not the point here. They're not singing about the cars they had on Earth are not singing about Porsche Carrera. They're not singing about about their new. $500,000 home for their yacht, they're singing about salvation.

They're singing about what Christ has done. What Christ has one on calvary's Cross, These Are People clothing. White robes. They have palm branches in their hand and verse 10 tells us they cried with a loud voice saying, salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the lamb. That slaughtered land that one, they gave his life as a ransom for many of. These are those that have been purchased by the blood of Christ. Interestingly enough I can't help but notice the exact number given in verses 1 through 8 that 144,000 sealed, as represented of the fullness of a number. Symbolically that parallels that great multitude. Each one of these have been foretold by God. Each one of these call the Salvation by The Sovereign Grace of God. And it's an exact number of some people have been called to Salvation, my God and Sovereign Grace, the Lord knows those that are his Salvations. Our work of God, we get to experience. What? God has planned an eternity past, that God knows what he's doing. He has a church abroad that he has given to his son. These are those that have been called the Faith by the holy spirit of God, to believe in the Lord. Jesus Christ, they've been gifted that gift of faith and gifted repentance. They've been rescued out of the domain of Satan. They've been transferred into the king of the Gods. Dear Son, Colossians 1:13. That my friend is a miracle. God pluck me out. My wife will test the first two years of our marriage. I was unconverted rebel, I grew up in the church. I hated everything. They said, they have it. I hated everything that they represented. I remember as a fourteen-year-old boy, my mom said her, dear friend Vera, Curtis up to my bedroom and our log house to witness Jesus Christ to me. And by the time it was all over. She was crying and went down, told my mom that he's a reprobate is going to hell. In 1987, I was driving down the highway and my GMC pickup truck. Listen to Hank Williams. Junior, just stopped at the main store bought me a can of chewing tobacco and some Marlboro lights cigarettes. Think about nothing except myself. I was a young police officer. They put a gun and a badge on my stupidity. In a, in a moment's time, I came under an inexplicable conviction for sin. The gospel that I had heard growing up in the Lord's Church, begin to pierce my heart and it got begin to break me. And I began to weep for the first time since I was a little boy. My heart heart is had been extricated by God's powerful workings and his miraculous dealings with, with sinful men. He had given me a heart of Flesh as we find depicted in Ezekiel 36:26 and that God radically miraculously purposely and Sovereign Lee pulled me out of Darkness. He translated on know what it's talking about glosses 113 he put me into his kingdom. Pedro me, he gave me eyes to see in the ear to hear, and a heart to feel the wonderful Gospel of God. And I repented, and I wept and I remember, we lived in our little humble law, enforcement funded trailer house in Grandma dually. Front yard and my wife have been praying for my salvation that she didn't like the man that she married anymore that my pride and my arrogance. And selfishness was destroying our marriage. And I walked in the front door when she was vacuuming down the hall and she looked down the hallway at me. And she said, dear God, what happened to you? I said, oh honey, we could have talked my ears, my eyes were swollen and bloodshot from weeping and I've got to tell her what God had done and the Lord had save me from my sin. But here in verse 14, we see that these are those clothes with white robes washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, that's what God did for me in 1987, that's what God has done for you and his son, Jesus Christ. These are the repentant people of God that we find here. These are those that have believed that wonderful and that stupendous message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Hear the text tells us that they have palm branches in their hands. This is an Ensign of victory Revelation 12:11 says, and they overcame by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they will love not their lies, even unto death. These are those who have been true to Christ through both trial and tribulation in at the victory, Belongs to the Lord, Jesus Christ. Does imagery of palm, branches goes back to the Old Testament Feast of Tabernacles, or by palm branches were used of the people of God to build booze, and which they would lived. During the celebration of this. Feast, we find this in Leviticus 23. Feasts, was a celebration of how God protected his people during their wanderings through the desert. It is in this way that God seals and keeps his faithful ones to through the present, to multiply, for the darkness of this plight as Christians in the dark world that he keeps us. And he preserves us. And it's strengthens us and amplifies the grace of the Mist of ceases to where God permit hardship, to win this off of this present world and has enabled Paul in his Thorn In the Flesh. Easy Amplified, Gracie didn't Grant him, deliver is the Amplified and strengthen him that he might bear up underneath that, that he might see through the weakness of his flesh. Understand the power of the cross.

We all are the God's people. We've left the Wilderness of sand. We've been delivered by mighty mighty savior, there's Victory here at these palm branches are or signifying Victory and it showcases the strength of Christ, the leadership of Christ and of the holy spirit of God has you and I as his people or sojourning through this life, this Wilderness in the tribulation of the times in which we live in Israel and Times of old celebrated God's Victory, deliver them from the Wilderness of Sinai, we celebrate with palm branches commemorating. Our deliverance from sin and death. And the tribulation of this present World in which we live with the point, I wanted you to see is that this is a redeemed multitude third, we seeing verses 10 through 12, it's a worshipping multitude. Look at it with me and your copy of God's word and they cry out with a loud voice saying salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the lamb. And all the Angels were standing around the throne, and around the elders, and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces Before the Throne of God and worshipped. They worship God saying, amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and Thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our god forever and ever. I'm in Here we see the chief end of global missions. And what is it? It's causmic worship. Can't help but note the content of their worship. It's radically god-centered. It says he'll vation to our God who sits on the throne and to the lamb that every worshiper is enthralled. With God's Sovereign Rule and Reign, he's seated Upon A W Throne who sets on Thrones Kings Booth. What do they do? They rule

This is a sovereign ruling. This is big God. Theology and big God, theology solicits big, doxology, that we've become vibrant in our worship. As we see him more nearly, as he is did, every worshipper here is a static about God and His Sovereign work in their salvation. There's a seven-fold nature of worship here as quickly. It's a praise for his Blessing. It's a praise for his glory of praise for his wisdom. A praise of Thanksgiving. It's praise and honor praising for him for his power, praising him for his might. And these are songs that are so momentous, they're being eternally lifted up in a glorious Rhapsody of praise to honor and glory of God. Listen, my friend heaven is reverberating with the Salvation Song Manic right.

Is there might be people that aren't you concerned about God's work through Christ to the Salvation of Sinners. But, let me tell you that our Triune God is a static about what he's done. Tetelestai, John 19:30. It is finished. It's still being reverberated throughout the eternals in heaven. Even we see here that God is to be worshipping. God is Central to the worship of heaven and this is the chief end of global missions. That God might be warship that God might be glorified forever and ever. And that this is the purpose of the saving mission of Jesus Christ. That the throne might be surrounded with a multinational Throne of worshippers you know as we're singing today brother is leading us to the song. I couldn't help but think that this is a foretaste of what we will have eternal e The Lord will be glorified. That would be worshipping. And I know that you all have had glorious and intense moment with God worshipping. But can you call the mine moments in your life to where you have been so captured? Your heart has been so enthralled for the glories of God that you didn't know whether you was in heaven or on Earth that your tears were flowing or thinking about the cross. You, thinking about how the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, incarnate became sin for you that he knew no sin that he tasted that for us that he took my son and his body on the tree that he took the curse of my sins that he might give to me the righteousness that key deserves that he owns. He is a righteous King and then he gives his righteousness to me and not the righteousness are with I enter into heaven, is an alien, a foreign righteousness that the righteousness of another that it's Christ's righteousness, has his what he's done, is put to my account, there's been moment, I know you too cuz I've been so cocksure to so enthralled in worshipping. So caught up with the Lord that I didn't know if I was even on Earth anymore, if I was in here. Glory to God that's this. And that's the way we're the worship.

Heaven is a radically god-centered place where there is a worshipping multitude, but here's an important question. How did these worshipers get there? How did this host of Heaven arrive to this Celestial and eternal worship? The text, your answers are asking answers the question. Looking for 13 with me. This is very pivotal to the text, then one of the elders, answer to sang to me these who are close in the white robes.

Who are they? And where have they come from?

What a glorious. Central critical question. Both of the text into the Expo, the exposition tonight. How does Jesus Christ? We receive the reward of his suffering.

How do these glorious or they glorified Saints? Get to this Throne of Eternal warship.

The answer is this and it's very simple. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been Faithfully. Proclaim by faithful Saints.

So that's what we see and verses 13 to 17 that the foundation for Glorified Worship Is Gospel work.

He also said the four letter word. Work. Gospel work that every saint in this multi-ethnic, throng has heard the Glorious Gospel of God and they believed that the gospel has been the power of God unto salvation for them. They've been put like Brands out of the fire. Translated into the kingdom of God's. Dear Son, signing, this Unfaithful Saint some, man, or woman. Some precious brother, or sister has shared the wonderful and Powerful gospel, because nobody goes to heaven apart from the gospel.

Nobody can be saved without the gospel of Christ. 1st Peter 1:23 for you've been born again, not of seed, which is perishable with imperishable. That is through the living and enduring word of God.

Call Christ was church is singular, and what is it? Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation Mark 16:15. So our task is unmistakable in the Bible that we are to go to all nations with this message of the cross. Listen, I want to just talk to us plainly and Detroit young people that are here. This Mission belongs to you.

Have you asked, God young person? How do you Lord want me to spend my years on Earth? Because my friend, you're going to spend it on something. Why not spend your life on? What counts?

Modern missionary Nate Saint wants journals and wrote that people who do not know the Lord asked why and the world we waste our lives as missionaries. He writes, they forget that they too were expending their lives. And when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of Eternal significance to show for the years that they have wasted. The nations are not going to auto advance July's, the world does not have an instinctual knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They don't have a little light burning on the inside of them, that just needs to have a little fan put to it. They are dead in sins and transgressions.

They must be made to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ by faithful gospel. Proclamation Romans, 10:14. I need a preacher. The 3.3 billion that I mentioned in my introduction that they're dying and their sins and they need a witness. They need to hear the gospel.

And I can't attend this heavenly warship seen, they cannot come to this throne room of Perpetual price unless they believe the message of the gospel and repent for their sin.

And it's are charged, and it's hard to light to take the message of the Gospel, to the ends of the Earth. Either by going our self or empowering others to go in tomorrow morning. I'll be more practical about how we do not everybody in this building. Tonight is going to be getting on an airplane and flying over the Atlantic to go to Papa New Guinea to try for the never heard of the name of Jesus Christ. Do you know what? We can sure enough, sacrificially lives so that we can generously give that there will be those that have been God sent and God Called to go and do the work that we go with them and are giving an are praying, right? Leonard Ravenhill, once Road, I love Ravenhill, put them Mare and her sit idle. If he heard the drowning cry, could have doctor said in comfort and just let his patients died. Could a fireman said, I don't let minburn to give no hands. He can you set it ease in Zion with the world around. You Damned

Salo. Pause and Ponder.

Verses 14 through 17 answer the questions. That's raised by verse 13. These are clothed in white who are they? And where have they come from? The first truth we see is that there are people that come out of opposition. says, in verse 14, look at it with me and your Bible and I sent him my Lord, you know, and he said to me, these are the ones who have come out of the Great Tribulation.

There are those that apply this text exclusively to the Future eschatological event, but I don't believe the context permits that sort of an interpretation. These are the total sum of the redeem throughout time and space throughout the ages that these are God's chosen people. These are those who have been cleansed by the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ, and by faith and his wonderful name and that that 144,000 I believe is simply another way of saying, the great multitude that is Before the Throne of God in Eternal Perpetual worship that. It's a synonym of the great multinational throng that's been reached by the gospel, don't believe that this is talking about some future eschatological event, but a tribulation in which every Christian passes Have a hard time believing that tribulation is only in the future somewhere where you have John Rogers, having been burnt to death at the stake or other missionaries, are other men of God or other reforms that have had their head, sawed off a door blades. I thought you would have a hard time, convincing, John Rogers, as he's being engulfed with flames. That there's coming. A Triple H. When he says, what do you think I'm going through?

But these worshipers, the text tells us that are surrounding the throne have tasted tribulation and they've also been found faithful at the fires of persecution. That the tribulation have only served to be sanctifying Grace's for them and they've endured to the end and that they are saved. Matthew 24:13. Even John, who by the Holy Ghost gave this book saw himself as being in the tribulation. Verse 9 of chapter one, I join your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation

and Kingdom and perseverance with your in Jesus. It was on the Isle of Patmos because of the word of God of the testimonies the same Greek term flipsies as found in our texts. But here's the point, the ones that are occupying heaven or the ones that have come out of Great Tribulation These are faithful people of God that have endured hardship for the sake of Christ. These are the people of God that have endured that have held on to the testimony of Jesus Christ, right? And the throw them a pissed in trial and tribulation and this is I hear and doubt events. We got to wait for a future tribulation, these came through, the Great Tribulation. And this number counts, every believer that's ever been saved. They're the ones in heaven and certainly I believe the times will get difficult. I believe the tribulation will escalate is thyme ads on by, but this Great Tribulation spoken up here, his tasted by everything full and true Christian And how much more those are preaching, and proclaiming Christ that are getting the message to the ends of the Earth that are going to. Listen to me that are going through hell on Earth, to get the message to loss centers. That are being persecuted that are being that are being attacked and maligned and lied about sometimes attacked physically.

We know John was banished to the Isle for his faithful witness of Christ. But my brothers and sisters despite the cops were called to take the gospel to the Nations. And certainly there's going to be resistance, certainly there's going to be tribulation certainly there's going to be opposition but yet those that are in white hot warship around this christ-centered, Throne, or those with come through those that have been faithful to the end. Those other than that, we're going to be there stars. Paul says, I bear in my body, the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ but yet the Saints have endured for the sake of Christ. Also secondly their objectives were talking about this is describing gospel work. Gospel work in the objective in verses 14 and 15 and they have washed their robes. And they made them white. In the blood of the lamb. And for this reason, For this reason there before, the Throne of God. They've been saved. They've been forgive. Though, your sins be as Scarlet, they're washed and made white as snow. Sure our sins are made separation between us and our God's but Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost any time for the worst of sinners, like the one you're looking at

To reach right down in the Quagmire, by my unbelief, in the perversion of my own heart. And he plucked me out of convicted me in my, send the Holy Spirit, begin to show me how corrupt and how miserable? I was an old. God, God saved me to the utmost. As he does you. Here we see for God to receive glory and worship from the Nations. We must get the gospel to the ends of the Earth. We saw that the worshippers had passed and the Great Tribulation they've been washed and cleansed by the blood of Christ. And he says, clearly for this reason and only for this reason, they are Before the Throne of God.

That God has his own people scattered throughout the Nations. God has his people scattered throughout ethnosh. Different ethnic groups that Jesus has given his life for them. He shed his blood for them. He's giving his life up for individual spinners. You go back to Revelation, 5 verses 9 and 10. And they sing a new song sing where they're you to take the book and break his seals for you or saying listen to the language. And you purchased for God with your blood men from every tribe tongue and people and nation. And you've made them to be a kingdom and Priests who are God and they will rain up on the Earth.

So the Great Commission is nothing more than our commanders assignment to go to the nation's and gather the fruit of his sacrifice. To go to the nation's and gather the fruit. Of your sacrifice. And makes me think about that, grand story? I'm sure some of you are familiar with that, that hundreds of years ago, that there were young missionary, boys. They were moravian's, they were Germans. And that they had felt the call of God, to go to an island where the worst the most vile of criminals in the most of the insane, the most dangerous in the most disease were sent. And if you went there to that Island, you can never go back. And these two, young German Moravian missionaries. Sold themselves into slavery. Together the funds that they might be able to go and to witness Christ to these peoples knowing that they would never be able to return to father mother brother sister or wife. They got into the boat and as the boat was going off into the harbor, into the steam, into the Mist, they were heard screaming at the top of their lungs, May the Lamb of God receive the reward of his suffering.

And there they went and gave their lives. The poor, the miserable, The Wretched, and the blind.

One of the glories about the stupendous grace of God is that God Sovereign Lee super intense is saving work. The god Sovereign Grace promises and guarantees, or underwrites the success of our mission that Center will believe. When we go with the powerful gospel, why is that? Because God will give them the gift of faith that God will give them the gift of repentance. That's this great throng of multi-ethnic, worshippers that we read in this most glorious text have their robes wash and white, which is the because of the blood of Christ that was given for them. And that's all obedient son or daughter has proclaimed. The Glorious gospel in the power of the spirit. It is for this reason there before the room, Throne of God. Maybe some of you share the gospel. Faithfully. Not knowing whether or not that seed fell on good soil. But they're there because you were faithful Pastor Wade and all your years of ministry that there will be a block around the Throne of God worshipping cuz you've been faithful. Now you've been to the fire, you suffer, you come through tribulations, you've had hardship that there will be those worshipping. God, try you, because you were bold and preaching the gospel. And with all the strength of Christ, applied to you, that you were built upon having a church that's healthy and desire and cry to be honored above all things. And by the way those kinds of things will make it to church reduce before church can produce brother. I've been there. I know it's like the pastor a church with a hundred more people in it and then then you turn around. You got 15. People sitting there. I've been there and also know what it's like for the Lord to open the gates of heaven and forgot to populate the church and & Barrel Baptist Church. By the way. Thank God. You have a faithful preacher. Thank God. You got a man that will stand. That has stood the test of time that will preach the word of God on compromise that the pinion. Man is is secondary to the opinion of God that he places the opinion of the word of God above the ideas of man. And it's your fault, the man that's falling the Lord and God going to bless this church. You may not see it. The phone is now the brothers and sisters, you will see it. And brother, thank you for your, that's why I love you. Cuz you look Christ, more than you love, man. That you don't love me and you do what you love Christ. Pre-eminently, that's why God is going to bless his church and is blessing us Church. Churches, get ready.