Sermon for Lord's Day September 24,2023 The Ascension- From Heaven's Perspective
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Sermon for Lord's Day September 24,2023 The Ascension- From Heaven's Perspective
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- We are going to be reading from the book of Luke the last three verses of the book of Luke Lord being our helper this will be
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- The first from the last sermon in Luke we have made it through the book of Luke I believe
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- October 2019 we began and here we are finishing this book up next week
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- We'll be doing a summary of the book of Luke So I believe it might be helpful and encouraging for you as well as we as we kind of just skim back through Luke to kind of Recap everything that we found in the book of Luke itself.
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- But today Luke chapter 50. I'm sorry Luke chapter 24 and we're going to be reading verse 51 52 and 53 in your hearing and Before we read and before I ask you to stand let's go to the
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- Lord in prayer Now we're good our great
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- God as we come before your throne this morning Lord we come today in eager anticipation as We have been of getting together together with the
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- Saints of God Lord no doubt you have we want to thank you for the what you've already
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- Shown to us in your word in the classrooms this morning Thankful Lord that we were able to join our hearts and our minds and our voices together and singing praise unto you
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- Recognizing that what you have done is Worthy of all praise all honor all glory and all power
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- Not just for what you've done, but simply because of who you are Because you are holy you are righteous you're set apart
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- In God as I come this morning. I just want to ask you
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- Lord Please help us as we stand one more time. I pray that you'd give clarity in my mind
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- Give me liberty with my mouth. I Pray Lord that you would work
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- Mildly in the hearts and in the minds of your people through the preach word of God today Lord that you would save the loss
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- Lord God that you would encourage the Saint Lord that you would revive the cold and the backslidden and dear
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- God that you would draw All men all women all boys all girls in this place that you would draw them unto
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- Yourself but there's no better place for us to look today than unto you and so God I give you great great glory great
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- Thanksgiving this morning for this privilege of prayer and For the witness of your
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- Holy Spirit Lord For it is in Jesus name. I pray Amen Stand with us if you would to honor the reading of God's Holy Word Luke chapter 24
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- Verses 51 through 53 This is the word of the
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- Living God While he blessed them he parted from them and was carried up into heaven
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- They worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple blessing
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- God As far as the reading of God's Holy Word verses 51 through 53 you may be seated this morning and as we
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- Step into this short little passage of Scripture again I know you need not be reminded how much truth there is in this as we have looked
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- This will be our third week on simply looking at the ascension of Christ for the last two weeks
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- We've looked at why it matters why the ascension matters and then that was week before last and then this past week
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- We looked at the exclusivity of the Christian faith and today Today God being our helper
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- Our desire is to look at the ascension one last time as we're in this passage to look at the ascension
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- Not from Earth's perspective But to look at the ascension from heaven's perspective
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- Now we know just to recap we know what has taken place thus far Right.
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- The Lord Jesus Christ has arisen from the dead. We have it here in Luke's gospel account in 24 particularly of these two disciples who are traveling on the road to Emmaus and Jesus walks up to them ask why they're walking and so sad they begin to open up to Jesus Jesus Reveals to them the
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- Scriptures all matter of fact Concerning him Concerning concerning the
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- Christ in the prophets and the law So Jesus opens to them their heart burns within them
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- Jesus later again appears to the disciples as they're all gathered together after Cleopas and the other disciple ran all the way back to Jerusalem John Calvin said this as a matter of fact
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- It cannot be doubted that he then Jesus then engraved an uncommon mark on the hearts of these two men
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- Cleopas and the other disciples So that they might in length Perceive that in speaking he had breathed into them a divine warmth for though the
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- Word of God I'm sorry for though the Word of the Lord is always fire common
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- I want to real quick say this now we hear the kids use this term now I hate being so old that you have to say when the kids say something
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- The young people say something but the kids these days use this term they'll say that was fire
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- Meaning that was good. That was awesome. Well, John Calvin actually used this phrase
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- He said though the Word of the Lord is always fire Yet a fiery rigor was at that time manifested in a peculiar and an unusual manner in the discourse of Christ and Was intended to be an evident proof of his divine power
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- For it is he alone who baptizes in the Holy Ghost These are the words of John Calvin now
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- There is no doubt about it that the two disciples on the road to Emmaus got their hearts
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- Absolutely lit up by the scriptures and the other disciples whom Jesus showed himself alive and glorified also rejoiced greatly when
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- Jesus Opened to them the scriptures and yet as we see in this text
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- We see the term used that they worshipped him I'm not going to attempt to pronounce the
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- Greek term there, but we'll get into that here shortly But we notice in this text that their worship just seemed to continue to grow and grow and grow
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- Until they saw the Lord Jesus Christ ascend to heaven before their very eyes
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- Now we remember who wrote Luke or I'm sorry who wrote Luke's account? Luke He wrote it to his friend
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- Theophilus most excellent Theophilus and he wrote it so that Theophilus might have a more better more better Maybe that's about English a better understanding and a better knowledge of who
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- Jesus Christ is and what he has done Now if you jump over one chapter we see
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- Luke John and in the book of Acts Luke Also wrote the book of Acts and again we mentioned last week it is as if that there is
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- Very little to none Difference where Luke just picks right back up as we see the introduction to the book of Acts For example, if you read
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- Acts 1 you read this in the first book Oh Theophilus I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and to teach
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- Until the day he was taken up After he had given commands through the
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- Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom he had chosen He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs
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- Appearing to them during 40 days and speaking to them about the kingdom of God And as the scripture continues while staying with them
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- He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem But to wait to wait for the promise of the father
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- Which he said you heard from me for John baptized with water But you will be baptized with the
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- Holy Spirit not many days from now So when they had come together, they asked him
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- Lord Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel and he said to them it is not for you to know the times
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- Or the seasons that the father has fixed by his own authority The question of eschatology came up then it comes up now.
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- How do we address these issues? We always go to the word But Jesus said it's not for you to know the times or the seasons that the father has fixed by his own authority
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- But he said you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be
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- Witnesses where in Jerusalem in Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth
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- McLaren said this concerning that passage in Acts Alexander McLaren the contemporary of Charles Spurgeon in the mid 1800s
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- Said the equipment for the work is in vestiture with divine power
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- It's a partial bestowal of the spirit, which is the father's promise Took place while Jesus spoke when he said
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- I sinned refers to something done at that moment but the fuller clothing with that garment of power was to be waited for in expectancy and desire
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- Jesus said wait in Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high
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- Alexander McLaren said no man can do the Christian work of witnessing for and of Christ Without the clothing of that power it was granted as an abiding gift on Pentecost Thanks be in the
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- God there it needs perpetual renewal We all may have it without it eloquence learning and all else are but a sounding brass and as a tinkling symbol unless the
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- Spirit of God works in the heart and in the mind of the boys and the girls of the men and the
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- Women who sit under the preaching and the teaching of the Word of God unless the Lord builds the house
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- All is done in vain But you can be sure if the Lord builds the house your foundation is certain your foundation is sure your foundation is
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- Secure it's unmovable because it is the foundation of Jesus Christ Himself the chief cornerstone is what we have according to the
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- Word of God Now if we look just a little bit further in to the book of Acts chapter 1
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- We read these words and when he had said these things as they were I'm sorry
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- Acts chapter 1 as they were looking he was lifted up and the scripture describes this to us where Luke doesn't describe it to us in Gospel but here in Acts the continuation we see the description of the ascension of Jesus Christ Now this is beautiful when you stop and you actually think about what we are reading
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- He was lifted up and the scripture says a cloud took him out of their side
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- Can you imagine I would say probably not? I don't know if any of us that have ever seen anybody be taken up to heaven on a cloud
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- The disciples were unique in this another reason that the Apostles were unique in their ministry
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- They saw Christ be taken and raised up into heaven ascend into heaven on the cloud as we have writing this in the
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- Word of God and the Bible says they're continuing in Acts and while they were gazing
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- Into heaven I believe some what awestruck somewhat amazed somewhat dumbfounded somewhat stupefied
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- Somehow some way maybe one of them was trying to figure out now. How is this happening?
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- How is this going on? but two men stood by them in white the angels of the Lord and they looked at the
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- Disciples and the disciples looked at them and they said you men of Galilee Why do you stand gazing up into heaven?
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- That's what they said Why do you stand gazing into heaven for this same? Jesus this same
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- Jesus who was taken from you Into heaven.
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- We'll also come again in black manner
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- Now that is the view from the ground that is what the disciples view
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- This is what we have recorded for us in God's inspired word This is what we have to look at and some may say could there be any more and I'm going to say holding topic to the scriptures
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- Absolutely. Yes, there is We go on so verse 52 and verse 53 here in Acts Notice the words and they were so while he blessed him he parted from them and was carried up into heaven verse 52 and They worshipped him and they returned to Jerusalem with great joy
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- And the scripture says and they were continually in the temple blessing
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- God Matthew pool in his commentary said this their faith was now come to the highest pitch
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- They did no longer look upon him only as one sin of God or as a good prophet
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- Nor even as only the son of David the promised Messiah In the meantime, not rightly taking the notion of the
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- Messiah Remember the disciples were looking for a whole different kind of kingdom
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- They were looking for an earthly kingdom that would come and destroy Rome and take over the earth
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- They would sit there and run around the earth But the kingdom they were looking for was not the kingdom that Jesus brought but Matthew Paul goes on to say this, but they were looking upon him as one who should be a
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- Temporary Savior and a deliverer of his people. They now believe him to be the eternal son of God Question for you today.
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- Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal son of God? I appreciate the testimony there
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- Troy this morning that he had to come to the realization that Jesus was out of the Messiah The son of God or he was not in my friend to be saved by God's grace
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- God Supernaturally will work the work of regeneration in your heart and in your mind so that you can recognize that Jesus Christ is
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- The son of God as a matter of fact, the only begotten son of God so Paul went on to say this being so manifested by his resurrection from the dead and his ascension into heaven before their eyes and According to his commandment they return to Jerusalem full of Joy, so taking taking this small section in Luke taking that first first 11 verses of Acts We see the view from the ground.
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- We see what took place and we not only see what took place But we see what is up what the disciples did the scripture says they worshiped the ascending
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- Christ they worshiped him in the New Testament Worship is denoted or set forth or demonstrated by kneeling or by prostrating
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- To do homage to one or to make what is called obeisance obeyance whether in order to express respect or to make
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- Supplications, so when we worship God when we worship God our hearts attitude our minds attitude should be that of Worship should be to recognize that we do not deserve to be able to stand up right to hold our head
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- To pull out the breasts of our jackets down and pretend like we are anything for when we stand before God We stand before the creator of the heavens and the earth
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- We should fear God Fear God stand in awe of God the psalmist said and fear him
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- So this scripture tells us that they worshiped Christ as Christ Ascended to heavens they bowed not only their hearts, but they bowed their heads
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- They bowed their bodies They laid prostrate before God who the
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- God the Son who ascended back to the throne before their very eyes
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- So again, these disciples were looking from the ground up to heaven
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- And today in God's Word as we begin to look at supporting text
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- We're gonna see Heaven's perspective on the ascension of Christ.
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- So the scripture tells us first in Psalm chapter 29 Psalm chapter 29 verses 1 through 4
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- By the way, as we throw out these texts and those of you who keep notes today I want to encourage you to find
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- Ruby after churches over ask her to see notes from family worship Well, she took some detailed notes
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- So, but the scripture says in Psalm 29 1 through 4 the psalmist said ascribe to the
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- Lord Oh heavenly beings ascribe to the Lord glory and strength to ascribe means to give unto
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- Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name
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- Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness worship the
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- Lord in the magnificence of his Holiness for the scripture said there the voice of the
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- Lord is over many waters the God of glory thunders the Lord over many waters the voice of the
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- Lord is powerful the voice of the Lord is full of Majesty when
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- God speaks when God acts he not only acts as God he acts as King he alone has
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- Authority over all things as a matter of fact the scripture tells us in another place there
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- That the Lord does whatsoever he pleases in the heavens and in the earth
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- By the way the heavens is his throne and the earth is his Footstool, but as we examine this to examine this this idea this thought we're going to look at a couple of different things
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- There's a couple of different passages this morning Particularly Daniel chapter 7 we're going to look at if you want to go ahead mark your place there
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- We're going to be reading in Ephesians in Isaiah We're going to be going throughout the text of Scripture and as we enter into this time to examine
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- The ascension from heaven's perspective according to the Word of God I want to encourage you to follow along in the scriptures
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- Do not take my word for what is being said I've done my best to study to prepare to give this to you, but test everything that you hear according to the
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- Word of God Now in Daniel chapter 7 we read of Daniel's vision of both the
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- Father and the Son The Father and the
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- Son That points us directly to the ascension of Christ from the
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- Old Testament to the New Testament There is continuity that points us to the majesty and to the holiness of God And might
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- I add to the trustworthiness and to the faithfulness of God's Word So as we examine the ascension this morning from heaven's perspective
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- The question might rightly be asked how can we know what went on in heaven?
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- What can we know what takes place in heaven? And maybe another question is this can we infer from the text of the
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- Bible what went on? To which I will answer the questions that I ask yes
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- And I say yes because of this as we consider and in particularly concerning biblical prophecy
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- Biblical prophecy let's look at both the Old Testament and the New Testament Passages concerning the ascension of Jesus Christ, which is what we have here as our primary text this morning
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- But what we do know we know and understand that prophecy and keep this in mind
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- Prophecy in the biblical sense. It's always given in relation to and points us to Jesus Christ the
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- Messiah That is what biblical prophecy is and an important theological term
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- I would encourage you to take down here. It would be worth taking note of is the term Predictive prophecy
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- Predictive prophecy. What is predictive prophecy? It is number one this it is discourse that emanates from divine revelation
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- You say that sounds familiar. Have you said that before? Yes, three weeks ago We began to talk about this concerning Jesus Christ being the spirit of prophecy prophecy is discourse that emanates or comes from divine revelation that Particularly when we're talking about predictive prophecy that particularly and specifically tales of future events
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- That's what predictive prophecy is prophecy that comes from God's divine revelation and is particularly and specifically tales of Future events.
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- So what we're going to look at in Daniel is predictive prophecy Particularly predictive in the sense concerning the person and the work of Jesus Christ in his ascension
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- So let's again be very clear as we use these terms. I do not want to get off into into some
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- Extreme ideas or views. So when we think of this term biblical prophecy when we hear the term
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- Biblical prophecy or prophecy in general from a Christian perspective. We should always
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- Understand it to be what was spoken by God Prophecy is what was spoken by God through the prophets and the
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- Apostles In relation to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ so God's Word spoken through the apostles and through the prophets in relation to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ And not only that but to the work of Jesus Christ both past Present and future
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- In particular we have this now, where can we find these words? In the 66 books of the
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- Old and the New Testament The scripture tells us this so for a proof text here.
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- Let's go to Ephesians chapter 2 Ephesians chapter 2 beginning in verse 11
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- Ephesians chapter 2 verse 11 the Word of God states this Context again.
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- Paul is speaking to the church at Ephesus He has just laid out in verses 1 through 10
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- The famous verses that teach us and tell us before we're saved that we're dead in our trespasses and our sins
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- But Christ has made us alive and Christ has quickened us together and Christ has made us sit together in heavenly places
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- With him and then just a little further down we find in verse 8 through 10 That is by grace
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- You are saved that it is not of yourself that it alone is the gift of God and not of works
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- Lest any man should boast that's what the scripture states So in verse 11 Paul picks up Paul continues and he says therefore or as a result of these previous things that I said
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- Remember he said remember at one time you Gentiles in the flesh were called the
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- Uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision we see here two groups
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- Jews and Gentiles And he says which is made in the flesh by hands
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- Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ aliens from the
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- Commonwealth of Israel and Strangers to the covenants of promise you had no hope and you were without God in the world
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- Nobody says but now But now in Christ Jesus you who were once a far -off
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- Have been brought near half by the blood of Jesus Christ For he himself is our peace who has made both one and Has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments that were expressed in Ordinances that he might that he that Jesus might create in himself one new man in place of the two
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- So making peace and might reconcile us both Jew and Gentile might reconcile us both to God how in one body through the cross
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- Thereby he killed the hostility and he came and he preached
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- Peace to you who were far off you Gentiles who were far off And he came and he preached peace to those who were near the
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- Jews for through him We both have access in one spirit to the father
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- So then you are no longer strangers you are no longer aliens But you are fellow citizens with the
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- Saints and you are members of the household of God and then he says it right here and being built upon the foundation of the
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- Apostles and the prophets There we have it being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets
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- Christ Jesus himself Being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being joined together
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- Grows up into a holy temple in the Lord in him You also are being built together into a dwelling place by God for this or for God by the
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- Spirit So with that being said, what is the purpose to to kind of give answers and definitions here?
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- What is the purpose of predicted prophecy? This can also be answered from the text of Scripture in Isaiah chapter 48
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- Isaiah chapter 48. We have the Prophet declaring the word of the Lord to Israel and he says this he explains and he tells we have a
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- Almost an exact definition of predictive prophecy right here for the Lord tells his people
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- He says the former things I've declared of old. They've been out from my mouth and I announced them
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- Then the Lord said and suddenly I did them so he tells it and then he does it
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- Right, and suddenly I did them and they came to pass Because I know this is
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- God speaking to his people because I know that you are obstinate that you are stubborn that you are rebellious and your neck is as an sinew and your forehead
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- Brass We wonder where the term hard -headed comes from. There you go
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- Your forehead is as brass. I Declared them to you from all the
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- Lord said before they came to pass I announced them to you lest you should say my idol did them my carved image did them or my metal image commanded them so Prophecy as understood
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- Again, it's a discourse that comes from divine revelation in relation to the redemptive work of Christ Predictive prophecy is divinely inspired revelation with absolute exact Specificity that points to a future event.
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- This is predictive prophecy So with that being said let's turn back in your in the
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- Old Testament to the book of Daniel chapter 7 the book of Daniel chapter 7 Just a general time frame
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- Likely in the fifth to sixth century before Christ So we had five to six hundred years before the
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- Ascension takes place and in Daniel chapter 7 Let's look at the
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- Word of God Daniel chapter 7 beginning in verse 9 verse 9 and 10 to start with as I looked
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- Daniel said as God gives him this vision this truth this prophecy or as I look thrones were placed and the ancient of days took his seat now the ancient of days is
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- The reference to the father the ancient of days took his seat
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- Guess what? Nobody sits in his seat He took his seat his clothing was as white as snow the hair of his head like pure wool
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- His throne was fiery flames its wheels were like burning fire a stream of fire issued and came out from before him and notice the words here that the prophet
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- Daniel uses a Thousand -thousand served him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him
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- This is five to six hundred years before the Ascension Going down just a little bit further in that passage in verse 13 and 14
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- We see the move from the father to the son being declared
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- I saw in the night visions and behold with the clouds of heaven
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- Came one like the son of man And where did he go or where did he come?
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- He came to the ancient of days That was presented and was presented before him.
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- Let's pause for just a minute here Let's recall what we read in Luke and what we read in the book of Acts The scripture says he raised his hands in Luke He blessed him and he departed from them the full description is given to us in Acts He ascended on a cloud into the heavens and Here five to six hundred years beforehand.
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- We see the words of Daniel with exact specificity given Notice going on just a little bit further in that same passage.
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- The scripture says he was presented to him and and to him
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- Jesus to him was given dominion and the glory and the kingdom so that all people all nations and languages
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- Should serve him his dominion is the prophet said
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- Everlasting dominion that means no beginning and no end
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- It is eternal which he went on to say in case you don't understand that it shall not pass away
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- And his kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed It's not gonna dry up and wither.
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- It's not gonna fade away There's no way that anybody can come in and tear it down or destroy it for the gates of hell shall not stand against the kingdom of God We have this in the scriptures if we were to jump back just just take notes if you want here
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- But if you jump back over to Matthew chapter 28 Man Christians take such pride in knowing this passage, but they don't know the context
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- Therefore they lose the richness of it Jesus took his disciples in Matthew 28 and he said these words all authority
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- Has been given unto thee in heaven and earth
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- Therefore go Therefore because of this go
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- Go and declare Preach teach the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ And as you go teach preach the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ Those who are believing baptized in the name of the
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- Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Do you see that there?
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- So We see what begins to take place in heaven here in this predicted prophecy
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- We see the throne of God said we see the holiness of God said we see the
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- Sun Ascending to the Father and as we do this
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- How are we to understand this outside of the scripture We need not try to understand this thought outside of the scripture, but thanks be unto
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- God He has given us his word If you would turn over to the end of the
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- Bible to the book of the revelation of Jesus Christ in chapter 1
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- Revelation chapter 1 Keeping in mind what the
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- Apostle said in chapter 1 verse 17 to 19 particularly The Apostle John says this when
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- I saw him I fell at his feet though dead But he laid his right hand on me saying fear not for I am the first and the last and the living one
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- I Died and behold I am alive forevermore and I have the keys of death in hell
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- Right there for the things that you have seen those that are and those that are to take place after this
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- So as we read through this small section of in chapter 4 and 5 of Revelation keep in mind
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- Keep in mind to help us understand revelation as we move on into the future To understand that what is written is not only the things that had taken place
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- But the things that were taking place and the things that were to take place
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- And so we see this as we look through the text over in Revelation chapter 4 so Revelation 2 and 3 we see the word to the seven churches of Asia and At the end of this this speech to the seven churches of Asia in chapter 4 beginning in verse 1 particularly through verse 6 notice
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- What John writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God?
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- he says after this I looked and Behold a door standing open in heaven
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- Now I don't know what translation you're using my translation has an exclamation mark there
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- I don't know if you've ever been somewhere maybe somewhere you've never been before Maybe you you could imagine it as being in a in a corridor or a hallway
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- And there's some of these doors in the hallway are closed and some of these doors in the hallway are open
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- But in one of these open doors, there's a commotion going on in the room Now, what's the natural reaction if you hear something going on?
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- Let me look in there what what's going on there John says and behold
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- I look and I saw a door Standing open in heaven and the first voice which
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- I heard speaking to me like a trumpet Said this come up here and I will show you what must take place after this
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- At once the Apostle John said I was in the spirit and behold a throne stood in heaven and one seated on the throne
- 38:40
- What do we read in Daniel the ancient of days? Took his seat. What do we see it?
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- What we see in Daniel Daniel was also told to keep this seal what was John told Reveal this now it was opened up made known and the scripture says this and He who sat there had the appearance of Jasper and Carnelian and around the throne was a rainbow
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- So you can imagine it as a as a bow an actual Continual circular bow that had the appearance of an emerald around the throne.
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- Keep in mind We're understanding what took place from the ascension From heaven's perspective what went on around the throne there were 24 thrones
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- So you can see around this throne Seated on high there were 24 thrones
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- The scripture says and seated on these thrones were the 24 elders clothed in white garments with golden crowns on their heads
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- From the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder and Before the throne were burning seven torches of fire
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- Which are the seven spirits of God and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass
- 40:00
- Like a crystal so here we have in the Word of God the picture painted for us meticulously vivid brilliant Shining forth we see this in Magnificent clarity and who do we read that sits on the throne?
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- It is the Father it is God the Father So let's pay attention as we go on through this text in Revelation Same chapter verse 8 through 11 notice what is being said of the
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- Father notice the worship that is being given to the Father as The four living creatures each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around and within and day and night
- 40:44
- They never cease to say Holy holy
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- Holy Lord God Almighty Who was and is and evermore shall be
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- That's what the scripture says they said holy holy holy is the
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- Lord God Almighty Who was and is and is to come?
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- And whenever the living creatures give glory and whenever they give honor and whenever they give thanks to him who is seated on the throne
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- Who lives by the way forever and ever the scripture says the twenty and four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and they worship him who lives forever and ever and As they worship him the scripture says they cast their crowns before the throne and they say
- 41:53
- And our God to receive glory and honor and power
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- Why because you created all things and by your will they exist and were created
- 42:10
- Now, how do we know that this is of the Sun? Again I'll anticipate you ask
- 42:16
- I'm anticipating you asking these questions and I will say I will give you credit I will say that was a great question
- 42:22
- But let's read a bit further in here in the book of Revelation picking up in chapter 5 in chapter 5
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- What do we read? We see this then I saw in the right hand of him who is seated on the throne a scroll
- 42:38
- We've already established that the father sits on the throne, right? So we see here the one of him who's seated on the throne held a scroll that was written within And on the back and it was sealed with seven seals and I saw a mighty angel
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- John said proclaiming with a loud voice and asking this question Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?
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- And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it
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- And I began John said I began to weep loudly Because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it and one of the elders said to me
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- Weep no more behold the lion of the tribe of Judah The root of David has conquered so that he can open the scroll and it's seven seals
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- And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders.
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- I saw a lamb Standing now, we know
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- If you don't let me tell you according to John's Testimony himself when he saw
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- Jesus coming to the river. He said behold the lamb of God That takes away the sin of the world
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- John says I saw a lamb Standing as though it had been slain with seven horns and with seven eyes
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- Which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth and he went and he took the scroll
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- From the right hand of him who was seated on the throne and when he had taken the scroll the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb
- 44:33
- Each holding a heart and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the
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- Saints and they sang a new song Remember their first song was worthy
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- Are you a lord to receive glory and honor and power and praise for you created all things and by your will they?
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- Existed and here they sing a new song. The scripture says the scripture says they sang this song
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- Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals? for you were slain
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- Christ was slain for your sins
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- You were slain and he said this by your blood
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- You have ransomed people for God where from from every tribe every tongue every language
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- Every nation and you have made them the kingdom of priests to our God and they shall reign on the earth
- 45:37
- Then I looked and I heard around the throne the living creatures and the elders and the voice of many angels numbering myriads of myriads.
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- Oh I hope you can see the the echo and not to be cheesy Something to the effect of what gladiator said about what's done in time echoes through eternity
- 45:59
- My friend we hear the echo of eternity here and they sang this Who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing and John said
- 46:12
- I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all that is in them saying to him who sits on the throne and to the
- 46:24
- Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and my
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- Forever and ever and the four living creatures said hey and the elders fell down and they worshipped him
- 46:43
- Where he crossed the sin to the father the price had been paid the work had been done and Here at the coronate the coronation takes place and we see from the
- 46:59
- Word of God heaven's perspective on the Ascension man with all that being said to close.
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- We must ask ourselves today. What is our Application of this text. What are we to do with a text like this number one?
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- Read it reread it test it try it according to the scriptures themselves But number two,
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- I would say our application of this text is simply this today For us to consider our acts of worship to God and to recognize that our acts of worship pale in Comparison to the worship given unto our triune
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- God in glory How can we worship God rightly how can we give
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- God the honor? Due to his name like the psalmist declared and to that I can only answer according to the scriptures
- 47:58
- And the answer is this Romans chapter 12 Romans chapter 12 the
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- Apostle Paul in writing to the Romans believers said this I Appeal to you therefore brothers
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- By the mercies of God You present your bodies a living sacrifice
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- Holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual worship or your reasonable service
- 48:29
- Do not be conformed to this world But be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern
- 48:37
- What is the will of God? What is good acceptable and perfectly
- 48:44
- Paul said for by the grace given to me I say to Everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think
- 48:54
- But to think with sober judgment each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned
- 49:01
- For as in one body we have many members and the members do not all have the same function
- 49:09
- So we though many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another
- 49:17
- Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us Let us use them in prophecy in proportion to our faith
- 49:26
- If service in our serving the one who teaches in his teaching the one who exhorts in his exhortation the one who contributes in Generosity the one who leads with zeal the one who does acts of mercy with cheerfulness
- 49:44
- Let love be genuine At war hate what is evil hold fast to that which is good
- 49:53
- Love one another with brotherly affection Outdo one another in showing honor
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- Do not be slothful in zeal be fervent in spirit
- 50:05
- Serve the Lord Rejoice in hope be patient in tribulation be constant in prayer
- 50:15
- Contribute to the needs of the Saints and seek to show hospitality Bless those who persecute you bless and do not curse them
- 50:25
- Rejoice with those who rejoice Weak with those who we live in harmony with one another do not be haughty but associate with lowly
- 50:36
- Never be wise in your own sight Repay no one evil for evil
- 50:42
- But give thought to do that which is honorable in the sight of all and if possible
- 50:48
- So far as it depends on you live peaceably with all Beloved never avenge yourselves
- 50:56
- But leave it to the wrath of God for it is written vengeance is mine
- 51:01
- I will repay says the Lord to the contrary if your enemy is hungry feed him
- 51:07
- He is thirsty give him something to drink or by so doing you will keep burning coals on his head
- 51:15
- Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil With good