The Seven Visions

Introduction

Well, good morning!

If you have your Bible, and I hope that you do, open it up with me to Revelation chapter 12. Just like the last couple of weeks, we’re gonna be covering another large section of text this morning. And so, again, as I’ve been encouraging you to do…make sure you’re reading our passages on your own throughout the week. Mediate on it…pray over it. That’s what’ll allow to get the most out of our time here on Sunday mornings.

Listen, as you turn there with me, I just wanna share some convictions I’ve felt here lately. For over a year now, God’s really placed it my heart to take us through Revelation. And at first, I’ll be honest…I really thought it was because He was preparing us for His return. But guys, the more I dig into Revelation…the more I pray…the more the Holy Spirit opens my eyes…I’m convinced that His reasoning for us walking through this book, it’s much like what we saw back in chapters 2 and 3. And listen, I don’t think we’re in that list where there were no rebukes. Guys, I’m so grateful that I live in America…I’m so grateful for the freedoms and the privileges I get as an American. I’m grateful that I get to raise my kids here in this country. But listen, I’d be lying if I told you that this study and the things God’s been showing me hasn’t convicted me.

If there’s been one major theme throughout this book, its been that God’s sovereign…He has all authority…all control…nothing happens that God doesn’t ordain. That’s what the scrolls were all about. And the fact that I’m an American with all the freedoms I enjoy today, it’s because God deemed it so. My conviction, its that we as an American church, as American believers…we’ve really failed in stewarding these great privileges God’s given us. We enjoy freedoms in our country today because of God…He’s given ‘em to us…and He can take ‘em away.

But listen, as I read about this first century church…as I hear about stories of Christians in our world today…I realize I am not engaged in the battle that God has called me to. Each and every one of us, as believers, we’re here today, waiting for our union with Jesus, because we’ve been tasked with a mission. And honestly, I think that’s more about what Revelation has been showing us. Yes, Jesus is coming back…Yes, He’ll bring ultimate restoration to those that follow Him…Yes, He’s gonna make all things new…and yes, He’ll judge those that reject Him. But guys, I think we’re missing the point. When Jesus looked upon Jerusalem, the Bible says He wept…He didn’t stand there pointing the finger…He wept over their souls and He gave everything proclaiming and providing the way to salvation. At no other point in history have Christians had a greater opportunity to advance the kingdom than we do here and now. But listen, we’re failing…we’re on the sidelines…we’re not engaged. In fact, we’re right where Satan wants us…we’re content with the luxuries of this world…we’re content with our lives…we’re content with our jobs…and we’re not engaging ourselves in the battle waging all around us. We’re sleeping while the enemy seeks to destroy and kill the souls of those we love. The passages this morning…its depicting this battle.

Listen, over the past several weeks, we’ve seen things like the seven churches, and the seven seals, the seven trumpets…this week, we’re gonna look at seven visions. And these seven visions, they’re gonna frame our time together and really help us walk through each of our sermon points this morning pointing to this battle.

If you’re been taking notes through our study over the past couple of weeks, you might wanna underline some of these transitional statements in our text.

Revelation 12:1, it starts with the appearance of a great sign, so you might underline, “A great sign appeared in heaven…” And then, Revelation 13:1, John says, “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea,” so this is his second vision. Then Revelation 13:11, John says, “I saw another beast rising out of the earth,” so that’s the third vision he saw.

Then Revelation 14:1 says, “Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” That was his fourth vision. Revelation 14:6, John writes, “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead…” This vision, it leads to two other angels, so that’s the fifth vision. Which brings us to verse 14, where John says, “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man,” that introduces the sixth vision.

And then in Revelation 15:1, it introduces a sign of seven angels with seven plagues, which we’ll technically talk more about next week, but when you get to verse 2, John says it again: “I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire…” What we’re gonna see in a minute, its that this vision seems to tie directly into what we’re seeing in Revelation 12 through 14. So this vision, starting in 15:2, could technically go with either the material in chapters 12 through 14 or the material in chapters 15 and 16, but for reasons I hope’ll be clear in just a moment, I think it’s appropriate for us to tie it in as the seventh vision that John sees here in this section of Revelation.

So we’ve got seven visions or signs that John saw which I believe frames this passage. And so, what I wanna do is simply go through each of these visions one by one and collectively see how John brings them together to illustrate this spiritual battle that’s been waging since the cross, this battle that continues to wage even today. That’s the picture I want you to see…that everything that happens on earth, its all part of a cosmic war being waged in the heavenly places. All of mankind, they’re all caught up in this heavenly war between Christ and Satan. And what we see day to day in this world, its part of a larger picture that extends to heaven and hell. Nothing in our lives is ultimately natural. It’s all ultimately tied to the supernatural. Your battles with sin, your struggles in marriage, your fears, your frustrations, your worries, your temptations, everything in your day-to-day physical, emotional, relational life, its all a part of a spiritual war being waged in the heavenly places. And we as believers, we’ve been called to acknowledge this battle and ultimately be engaged in this battle.

And so listen, my prayer for us this morning…its that God would take this room of people…ordinary people…He’d take us and do extraordinary things with His Word for His glory, making disciples and multiplying churches, knowing the cost is great, but believing that the reward is so much greater.

And so listen, as we come to our text this morning, looking at these seven visions…I believe its showing three main things here about satan and Jesus and the church concerning this battle.

And so, if you’re there with me…let’s jump into this first point together.

I. Satan attempts to conquer from a place of weakness, while believers suffer from a place of power.

Satan attempts to conquer from a place of weakness, while believers suffer from a place of power.

And so, this first vision…I believe what God does, He gives John this vision of the past, with the purposes of pointing us to the future…all so that we can be reminded in the present of who He is and be properly engaged in this battle.

And so, chapter 12…as we read it…we kind of get this really twisted Christmas story, right? We see a woman, a child, a dragon…there seems to be this intense…fierce battle.

And so, who are these people? What’s happening here?

Well, before we look at this passage…I think we have to turn all the way back to the beginning of the Bible…Genesis chapter 3, and look there.

Genesis 3:15 (ESV)

I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.”

You guys might remember when we went through that last year, its the story of the fall…Adam and Eve’s rebellion, the eating of fruit. If you remember, the serpent (who we know is satan, mainly because Revelation tells us so), he tempts Eve and they, in turn, give in to sin. Of course that new sin nature, it separated them from God…and so, when God came walking in the cool of the day, what did Adam and Eve do? They hid from the presence of God. They were guilty…they were ashamed.

Long story, short…God spends the rest of Genesis chapter 3, laying out the consequences of this sin, right? He lays it out for the woman…the man…and the serpent.

And listen, Genesis 3:15, its a promise. On one hand, God’s promising to ultimately conquer the serpent…but on the other, He’s promising redemption for mankind. But I want you to pay attention to some of the details in that promise. While God makes some promises here…we see that there will be enmity…hostility…between who? The serpent and the woman.

And so, let’s flip back to Revelation chapter 12. Who are these characters in the story? Well, Revelation 12:9, I think makes it clear that the dragon, he’s satan…the serpent from the garden, right?

What about the woman? Well, I think there’s a literal meaning here and I think there’s a symbolic meaning here. This isn’t just any woman…I believe its Mary! The mother of Jesus…I mean, that’s clearly what’s being depicted here, right? And listen, with this very literal meaning…this vision, it’s depicting God’s victory over the serpent…its fulfilling His promise back in Genesis 3…through this woman, her offspring…Jesus…which if you’re following me…that’s the child depicted here in Revelation 12…this child, by His death and resurrection…He crushed the head of the serpent and He overcame sin and death and evil. That’s the literal meaning here. God is victorious!

But guys, I don’t think that’s all that’s portrayed here. If that were the case, he’d just retell the gospel accounts all over again…because that’s what they proclaimed…God’s victory. But instead, as we’ve been seeing…there’s all kinds of symbolism here…which I believe really revolves around the woman and the serpent.

All throughout the Old Testament, this woman…it was used to depict the twelve tribes of Israel…of course, who we know, were God’s people. Going back to Genesis 3:15…that promise, it also refers to the woman in a very symbolic way as well, right? If you know the story of the Bible, it wasn’t Eve that brought about the child that would crush the head of the serpent…again, it was Mary. But the woman there, it represented all of God’s people…and through God’s people, would come the child that would bring about salvation. That was the point. And satan knew this…which is why, going back to Revelation, it says that he attempted to devour the child before she could give birth.

And listen, we see Israel go through all kinds of trials and tribulations that pulled them from the presence of God, right? That was the result of this spiritual battle waging…satan was attempting to halt God’s plans to bring about a Savior.

And then, we see that once the child…once Jesus was born and caught up to God, to His throne…sounds familiar, right? Didn’t Jesus ascend to the right hand of the father? Once that happened, verse 5 and 6, “the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.” Which is where some get this 3 and 1/2 year tribulation period…I believe this time is just symbolic because of everything else surrounding this number.

And so, now…keeping with what I’ve been teaching…the woman, symbolizing God’s people here…its now the church, who makes up the new Israel. And so the woman here, its all of God’s people spanning from Old Testament Israel to the New Testament church…and the center piece of this people, its the child, right? It’s Jesus.

And so, going back for just a moment…according to the passage, this “great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.” We see this dragon, he’s attacking both the woman and the child. He seeks to devour the child and he forces the woman to flee.

But the main thing I want you to see with this first chapter and this first vision, it’s broken up into three parts…verses 1 through 6, verses 7 through 12, and verses 13 through 17. And together, these sections, they combine to depict how satan has been battling the people of God all throughout the Old Testament leading up to the return of Jesus, how he sought to defeat Christ himself, and now, how he seeks to defeat the church. The imagery Revelation uses is of this heavenly war between Michael and the angels of God, and satan and the demons of hell.

But guys, the picture of this war, it’s clear. First, the birth of Jesus, it declared the death of the ancient serpent…it ensured God’s victory…but second, the picture of a pregnant woman crying out in birth pains with a dragon standing before her, ready to devour her child, it explains everything we read about in the Old Testament…everything! And the woman fleeing, it’s explains what every Christian has faced since the cross.

But what’s all this mean for us? Well, first…satan’s not done fighting. There’s still a battle waging…and not only are we called to fight…but satan’s targeting us whether we wanna fight or not. We’re gonna experience pain and suffering. He wants to keep us out of this fight because he knows there’s a power in us…a power through the Holy Spirit to bring about restoration. But guys, we have to remember…satan, he fights from a place of weakness. That’s been the point of Revelation up to this point…Jesus has all authority…Christ is sovereign. And the point of this story, it’s to show us that despite satan’s efforts…Jesus was born…and the cross happened…and that sacrifice it once and for all defeated satan.

That’s why Paul says in Colossians 2:15:

Colossians 2:15 (ESV)

He [Jesus] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Jesus did that at the cross…by His death…which is what Revelation 12:11 proclaims:

Revelation 12:11 (ESV)

And they have conquered him [satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

The birth of Jesus declared the death of the serpent; the death of Jesus defanged the adversary; and the resurrection of Jesus demolished all his accusations against God’s people. In the end, death couldn’t hold down this King. He was brought up to God (verse 5) and in return, the accuser was thrown down (verse 10).

And the point…as we get ready to quickly look at these other visions…its that while the battle’s still waging…while we’re still fighting and expected to fight and suffer…satan attempts to conquer from a place of weakness, while we suffer from a place of power…because listen, our sufferings and our death and our sacrifices…they proclaim to him all over again that he’s been defeated and nothing can overcome the glory and the majesty of Christ! And guys, Satan knows this. That’s why verse 12 says:

Revelation 12:12 (ESV)

Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

II. Satan attempts to deceive by claiming authority himself, while believers speak truth by proclaiming Christ and Him crucified.

The second point…and we’re gonna move much quicker through these next several visions…its that satan attempts to deceive by claiming authority himself, while believers speak truth by proclaiming Christ and Him crucified.

The reason I spent so much time in chapter 12 and this first vision, its because that’s the basis, the foundation for the rest of ‘em.

And so, chapter 13…the second vision…God shows John how satan works through governments and nations, claiming divine authority himself.

And so, this dragon (satan)…he continues to rage against the woman (the church)…and what we see, its that he does this through the worldly powers of our day. The first beast, rising out of the sea. Does it symbolize a physical person? A particular empire? An evil spirit?

I think at least for the original readers in the first century, I think they definitely would’ve identified this beast as the Roman Empire…I don’t know how they would’ve read this and not done so. The government, it was mandating emperor worship…it was demanding all kinds of idolatry from the people…that’s how and why the church at this time was being persecuted. They wouldn’t bow to another god.

In 2 Thessalonians, we went through that recently…Paul describes a “man of lawlessness,” there…”a son of destruction,” who’ll exalt himself “against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” Some for that reason, equate this beast as a physical person.

I lean toward this interpretation—that throughout the history of the church, from the resurrection to the return of Christ, there have been and will continue to be governments and leaders, systems and structures that the devil uses to oppress the church and deceive the world. That doesn’t necessarily rule out a specific person or empire to come in the days ahead, but the overall point, its that satan works through governments that ultimately function as divine authority instead of under divine authority.

And listen, I think it’s clear here…God permits the beast to curse His name…God permits the beast to crush His people and control the nations…God’s permitting this…none of this is taking away from God’s sovereignty or authority…He’s allowing it to happen. Verse 5, “5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.”

Verse 7, “7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it.” Which of course, as we’ve mentioned, this is a reference to unbelievers whose names aren’t written in the book of life.

God allows, permits, gives authority to this beast to lead people into blasphemy (to curse His name), to crush His people, and to control the nations. This is much like Romans 1, when God gives sinful people over to themselves. It’s a frightening thing when God gives people over to their sin, and these are the effects.

But don’t miss the encouragement here. To suffering saints in oppressive states all around the world today and even to saints in this country that is in some ways becoming increasingly hostile toward the church, do not fear. God is in control. Trust in Him. Hold fast to Him. Don’t be surprised when the government begins to operate as divine authority instead of under divine authority. Hold fast to your faith, even though the cost becomes greater and greater. Don’t be deceived and pulled away.

Which brings us to the next vision…not only will satan work through governments but he’ll deceive in order to claim authority.

This next beast…we see it comes in the form of teachers…those who look like friends…and they come with intentions to speak lies…they come to deceive in order to ensure the destruction of souls. They’re false teachers…they speak about false gospels and false ways to heaven.

The first beast, its said to have a mortal wound that’s been healed, as if this beast had died and come back to life—an imitation of Jesus’ death and resurrection. And when you get to verse 11, with the second beast, John says, “I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb…” Now listen, there’s 29 times in the book of Revelation where a “lamb” is mentioned, and 28 of those times the “lamb” refers to Christ. The only other time “lamb” is mentioned without reference to Christ is here, where the second beast looks like a “lamb,” a picture of his effort to copy Christ. This second beast performs signs and miracles to draw people to worship the first beast.

And so we see the dragon, the first beast, and the second beast working alongside one another in an effort to deceive people. They look like the Trinity, right? It looks like what they do is right and good, yet they’re leading the world into idolatry and immorality.

Some see this second beast as the false prophet rising from within the church that encourages devotion to the antichrist…but in reading this from the perspective of first-century hearers, I can’t help but to the think about how the Roman Empire was surrounded by an economic and social and even religious system that supported—even mandated—worship of the emperor. If you study that time period, in order to have business in certain trades, you would’ve had to participate in certain guilds and go to feasts where food was sacrificed to idols or outright emperor worship took place. And listen, there were teachers rising up in the church saying that kind of thing was okay.

Bring this over into our day, think of some of the false religions that exist around the world, as well as the secularism that pervades our culture—where success is worshiped as God and money is sought as they key to satisfaction. I think its clear that satan’s deceptions through false teachers and leaders are evident today. Even within the so-called church. There are men, pastors, who preach false gospels…who teach people to find worth in the things of the world. They’re tools of satan.

Guys, the reality for us, its that there will always be a price to pay when we chose to not worship the idols of the world…Life will never be easy in this world…especially when you fight the idolatry of the world. It’s plain and simple. And that’s the problem with many of us…we’re not proclaiming Christ and Him crucified…and we’re indulging ourselves in the delights of this world…and we’re missing the point…and we’re awol in this battle. We know satan deceives…we know there’s all these false gospels out there and all these lies…and yet, we’re allowing it to gain a footing in the community around us. We have to stand on truth…because only truth overcomes. Will there be a price to pay when we do? Absolutely! But that’s been the point of Revelation!

Satan massacres all who refuse him, and He marks all who follow him. Literally hundreds of different possible interpretations have been proposed for what the mark of the beast is here—from a literal mark given to people in the days before the final coming of Christ to a symbolic picture of those who identify with the ways of this world and set themselves up against God.

And why is it “666”? Well, we’ve already seen (and we’ll see again in just a minute) that the church has the name of God symbolically written on their foreheads (we see that in Deut. 6 as well), and the church has a number (144,000) to symbolize the completion of God’s people, so it makes sense that those who set themselves up against God in Christ would also have something symbolically written on their heads, associated with a number not of completion (like seven or four or ten), but incompletion (like 6 repeated over and over again)…meaning instead of being completed like the church, perfect…they’re completely incomplete.

Guys, don’t miss the point. Every person in all of history leading up to the end of history either belongs to God in Christ or to this world and its ways. And satan, all throughout history and continuing today, is deceiving many through friendly words, enticing ideologies, appealing economic policies, attractive religions that all gently yet eternally pull people away from worship of the one true God. This is how the dragon works through these beasts, and just when these visions take us to a low point, John looks up and behold, he sees the church…which brings us to our last point…and the last four visions.

III. Satan seeks to destroy, while Jesus sets all things right.

Satan seeks to destroy, while Jesus sets all things right.

We see at the beginning of chapter 14, there’s this picture of Jesus…He’s standing there with His 144,000…which of course, I believe represents the church…all of God’s people…Old and New Testament. And listen, I love this…what are Jesus’s people doing? They’re praising Him…they’re singing a song that only they know. They’re following the Lamb. Verse 4, they go wherever He goes…they’re called virgins…it’s a picture of righteousness…they’ve been redeemed. And their mouths…there isn’t any deceit or lies…they’re blameless the passage says.

Of course, I believe…this vision…its reminding the original readers…its reminding us, that we’ve been redeemed…we’ve been purchased by the blood of the Lamb…its encouraging us to follow Him, to leave behind the idolatry and immorality of the world. That’s why John said what he said in Revelation 13:9:

Revelation 13:9 (ESV)

If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

He’s writing this to believers. “Remember who you are!” John’s saying, “It is and it will be costly to follow Jesus in this world, but don’t compromise! Even if it means you’re being slain, hold fast to your faith. Even if it means you lose your job and all your money, hold fast to your faith. Even if it means ridicule and oppression and isolation or imprisonment or death, follow the Lamb!” And one day you will stand with him, you will sing to him, and you will be satisfied completely in him.”

And listen, he says that because the point here, its that who we worship on earth, it determines where we go in eternity. That’s what the fifth vision’s all about. These three angels in verse 6, they’re crying out, “Fear God and give him glory…worship him who made heaven and earth, for the gods of this world will show themselves to be empty and will lead you to eternal death.” These verses set up quite a contrast.

Those who refuse to sing praise to the Lamb, those who indulge in the pleasures of this world, Revelation 14 shows that those people, they’ll drink from the wrath of God. This imagery here its strong.

Revelation 14:10–11 (ESV)

he [or you] 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 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.”

This is the destiny of all who live for the enticing indulgences, sexual pleasures, material possessions, selfish pursuits of this world. Don’t buy the idea that your actions today don’t have consequences tomorrow—everlasting, never-ending, soul-tormenting consequences tomorrow. “The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever…no rest…”

The message here, turn away from the enticing pleasures of the world…it’ll only lead to the everlasting wrath of God!

Revelation 14:12 says, “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints!” It’s as if John’s saying to people in the church: “Wake up! What are you doing? Don’t compromise with the ways of this world; they lead to everlasting wrath!

And then he shows us the contrast in verse 13. “I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write 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.’”

The sixth vision, we see God’s judgement, its inevitable and intense but the seventh vision, 15:2, it shows that soon all the saints throughout all of history, they’ll rejoice together in the song of the redeemed.

Closing

Guys, the purpose of these visions…its to remind us that there’s a battle out there…we can’t afford to be lazy…we can’t afford to be sidelined…not only is it dangerous for us…but the souls of the people we love…the souls of our kids and our grandchildren…the souls of our coworkers…our neighbors…they lie in the wake. While satan attempts to conquer through deceit…we hold truth in the palm of our hands…and ours is the victory in Christ Jesus!

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes with me?

Listen, as believers here this morning…Revelation, it’s meant to encourage us…its encouraging us to be engaged in this fight. It’s reminding us about the things we already know. On one hand, Jesus desires us and loves us…He went through great lengths to purchase us…but guys, on the other…He’s a just and Holy God…and we know that when He comes…and when He sets all things right…those that don’t know Him as Lord and Savior…those that dwell on the earth, as John says…they’re gonna be judged and they’re gonna be found guilty…and they’re gonna experience the wrath of God for all eternity.

And guys, these aren’t just people we don’t know…these are those we love…those we care about…but even despite that…as a believer, we share the heart of Christ…and we care, just as He does, for those made in His image. I mean can’t you see the lengths He’s going through even as we walk through this book? Yes, there’s judgement coming…yes, it’s gonna be horrific…but guys, can’t you see it? He’s warning us…He’s giving us chance after chance…and the message to us, those who know Him…its to be care about the same thing…its to take this information about the past…who we know God to be, that He’s faithful…its take this information about the future…what we know He’ll do…and it’s meant for us to apply that to our present today. We have to stand up…we have to pray…share…give…invest…we have to engage ourselves in the lives of those around us. That’s our mission…that’s what we’ve been called to. That’s the point of Revelation and everything its revealing to us.

And so, if you’re here this morning…what do you need to do…what do you need to change…in order to be engaged in this battle?

But listen, if you’re here this morning and you don’t know Christ. These passages, they can’t be any clearer. You’ve being deceived…I know you think you have it all figured out, like you’re in control of everything…I know this world seems pleasing…but if you’re honest, you’ve felt real hurt…you’re fearful of the future…you’re never really satisfied no matter how much you obtain or how much you do. That’s the deceit that its talking about in these passages. That’s the deceit of Satan to keep you from the presence of God…to keep you from restoration and feeling real sanctification in the One that made you.

Guys, the reality, its that we’re all sinful…we’re all selfish…we’ve all chosen to rebel against a good and gracious God. And for that reason, in God’s love for us…in His justness and holiness…He gives us exactly what we gave ourselves to…the things we thought we wanted. And those consequences…like all things of this world, it leads in death…destruction. And listen, that’s what every one of us’ll receive apart from a Savior.

But guys, the Bible, it tells us that God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus. He became man…and this God-man, although He experienced temptation, He lived a perfect life. He was completely and entirely righteous…the only man to walk this earth sinless. And because of His righteousness…and because He was equally God and man…He was able to go the cross as man…pay for their sins as man…but completely satisfy His own wrath as God, completely overcoming the consequences of sin Himself. He died there, on that cross…proving His humanity…but He rose three days later, conquering that death, proving His deity. And the Bible tells us that when we simply place our trust and faith in this Jesus…when we repent and believe…when we turn from our sinful flesh and turn to Jesus…confessing that He’s Lord and that He rose from the death…it says, we will be saved. And so, maybe that’s what you need to do this morning.

Dear friend…don’t wait until its too late. Don’t continue indulging yourself in this world, experiencing this endless cycle of pain and suffering…Turn to Jesus and find true salvation!

And so listen, our praise…they’re gonna lead us in worship one more time. You take this time…you respond however you feel lead…and I’ll close us in just a moment.

[Prayer]