A Kingdom Divided

Prayer for Illumination and Thanksgiving

Join me as we pray father. We come before you Humbly to your throne of grace. For Lord if errors were what you counted who could stand If it was only or sin that you saw. Who can approach thee? But Lord we approach you Not by our own strength nor by our own merit.

But we approach you in the name of and by the merits of another even Jesus Christ the Righteous One our Redeemer our Creator by whom we now have access into this grace in which we now stand and Even more so Lord this morning.

We exult in the glory and the presence of Christ. We thank you Redeemer For your finished and exalted work of salvation Which you accomplished by your own obedience which you have purchased for? this distinct people to be a unique peculiar possession by God a People of every tribe nation and tongue and language from all kindreds to be gathered before you Even this morning on the Lord's Day.

We thank you a Redeemer For this privilege status of adoption as you've taught us this morning through the catechism. That by means of adoption we have the right to become heirs of the Almighty. We thank you For this great privilege of knowing you.

We pray Lord this morning That as we endeavor to open your word to receive instruction To receive that which you've laid before us by means of spiritual nourishment that you prepare our hearts. That you would remove from us every distraction Every high and lofty thing that would so easily hinder and entangle us away from today's instruction.

We pray Lord that in all these things and more Through the mouth of your preacher and through the admonition of the Saints. We would look not to the preacher But to the Shepherd Jesus Christ the great Shepherd of the sheep who for the joy that was set before him endured the shaming scorn of the cross and Purchased for his people an eternal salvation that cannot be neither destroyed nor denied.

Well Redeemer we come before you again Recognizing our shortcoming recognizing our sin, but also recognizing our great Savior in Jesus. Minister to us today by means of your word and by means of the Holy Ghost who has been sent to be a deposit of the good inheritance that we share as adopted sons and daughters and Lord that you would grant us even now wisdom and Eyes to see ears to hear and hearts to receive that which you've laid before us For the glory of the only Son from the Father full of grace and truth to him be glory.

Amen, well church. I ask that you turn to your Bibles in Leviticus chapter 7. As we continue our Old and New Testament readings We're reading the chapter 7 in its entirety. When I chose this scripture reading as we're going systematically through the scriptures I envision pastor Conley would be reading this.

But instead I'll have to read this for you. Hear you this morning the word of the Lord from Leviticus chapter 7. This is the law of guilt offering. It is most holy in the place where they kill the burnt offering.

They shall kill the guilt offering in its blood shall be thrown against the sides of the altar and all its fat shall be offered the fat tail the fat that covers the entrails the two kidneys and the fat that is on them at the loins and the long.

Lobe of.

The liver and he shall remove with the kidneys the priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering to the Lord. It is a guilt offering every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be Eaten in a holy place.

It is most holy the guilt offering is just like the sin offering There is one law for them the priest who makes atonement with it shall have it and the priest who offers any man's burnt Offering shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering that he has offered and every grain Offering baked in the oven all that is prepared on a pan or a griddle Shall belong to the priest who offers it and every grain offering Mixed with oil or dry shall be shared equally among all the sons of Aaron.

And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offering that one may offer to the Lord if he offers It for a Thanksgiving then he shall offer with Thanksgiving sacrifice unleavened loaves mixed with oil.

Unleavened wafers smeared with oil and loaves of fine flour mixed with oil With the sacrifice of his peace offering for Thanksgiving. He shall Bring his offering with loaves or he shall bring One loaf from each offering as a gift to the Lord and it shall belong To the priest who throws the blood of the peace offering and the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering.

For Thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering. He shall not leave any of it until the morning. But if the sacrifice of his offering is a vow offering or a free will offering It shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice and on the next day What remains of it shall be eaten?

Well, what remains of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned up with fire. If any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering is eaten on the third day He who offers it shall not be accepted.

Neither shall it be credited to him. It is tainted and he who eats of it shall bear his iniquity. Flesh that touches any unclean things shall not be eaten. It shall be burned up with fire. All who are clean may eat flesh, but the person Who eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of the Lord's peace offering while in unclean?

This is on him that person shall be cut off from his people. And if anyone touches an unclean thing whether human uncleanliness or an unclean beast or any unclean the testable creature and Then eat some flesh from the sacrifice of the Lord's peace offering that person shall be cut off from his people.

The Lord spoke to Moses saying Speak to the people of Israel saying you shall eat no fat of ox or sheep or goat the fat of an animal That dies of itself and the fat of one that is torn by beasts May be put to any other use but no account shall on no account shall you eat of it?

For every person who eats of the fat of an animal of which a food offering may be made To the Lord shall be cut off from his people. Moreover, you shall eat no blood Whatever whether a foul or of an animal in any of your dwelling places.

Whoever eats any blood that the person that person shall be cut off from his people. The Lord spoke to Moses saying speak to the people of Israel saying Whoever offers sacrifice of his peace offering to the Lord shall bring his offering to the Lord from the sacrifice of his peace.

Offering his own hands shall bring the Lord's food offering. He shall bring the fat with the beasts with the breast and the breast may be waved as a wave. Offering before the Lord and the priest shall burn the fat on the altar.

But the beast or the breast shall be for Aaron his sons. And the right thigh you shall give to the priest as a contribution from the sacrifice of your peace offering. Whoever among the sons of Aaron offer the blood of the peace offering and the Fat shall have the right thigh and for a portion.

For the breast that is waved in the thigh that is contributed I have taken from the people of Israel Out of the sacrifice of their peace offering and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as a perpetual Due from the people of Israel.

This is the portion of Aaron and of his sons from the Lord's food offering. From the day that they were presented to serve as priests to the Lord. The Lord commanded this to be given them by the people of Israel and from the day that he's anointed them.

It is a perpetual through due throughout their generations. This is the law of burnt offerings and the grain offering and of the sin offering and of the guilt offering of the ordination Offering and of the peace offering which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai and on that day He has commanded the people of Israel to bring their offerings to the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai.

The One Eternal Sacrifice in Christ

You might be wondering what is up with all of these various? conditions and sacrifices. Why can't there be one sacrifice that would satisfy all of these conditions. And the good news is that the Lord has provided one Eternal sacrifice the sacrifice of his own son Jesus Christ to fully satisfy the wrath of Almighty God.

But prior to that dispensation of Christ coming into the world Being born of the Virgin dying a death that we deserve being raised on the third day God had made an arrangement with his people to deal with the issue of sin To you on the other side of this dispensation.

You may think of this as trivial. Why all of these regulations why their distinction between sin offering guilt offering peace offering and all these other offerings?

First.

The reason why our minds go there is because we have minimized the issue of sin. We've minimized it Partly because we are kind of like the spoiled child on the other side if you have a father who it was an immigrant and had lived in a foreign land and saw the difficulties of Living in a foreign land and all that entails to be successful as a immigrant son.

Now you get to enjoy the rights and privileges of being an American being a part of an affluent Community you take for granted the things that your father had to go through. So too I feel today in the church we take for granted that which God's ancient people had to go through in order to atone in order to Deal with the issue of sin and so we've minimized it and we say well, thank goodness for Jesus and amen.

Thank goodness for Jesus. Recognize also that even in this dispensation God treats sin. Seriously, and though we no longer have to go through the regulations of following certain burnt offerings. The priests or the pastors today don't operate as as ancient Butchers as in the Old Testament where the Old Testament priest was in a sense a butcher he had to come and regulate the the Sacrifices that I were coming to him and and and portioned them off and then offer them as a as an appeasement To God's divine wrath, but now we have but one true living Exalted high priest and his name is Jesus Christ and he stands before the throne of God perpetually and He is now even for us interceding for our sins.

And so Jesus Christ is once and for all that atoning sacrifice For our sins and he sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us today. And so indeed we are thankful for our Redeemer in Jesus.

Jesus Predicts His Death and the Disciples' Expectations

Please turn to Mark chapter 10 as we look at our New Testament reading this morning. This one I promise you will be a lot shorter. Mark chapter 10 verses 32 to 34. Our New Testament reading again is Mark 10.

32 says the following. And they were on the road going up to Jerusalem and Jesus was walking ahead of them and they were amazed and those who followed were afraid in Taking the twelve again. He began to tell them what was to happen to him saying see we are going up to Jerusalem.

And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes and they will condemn him over to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles and they will mock him and spit on him and Flog him and kill him after three days.

He will rise.

One of the things that we notice time and time again in the gospel narratives are the Expectations that the Apostles of Christ had in regard to the work Christ would accomplish. Time and time again Jesus speaks in parables and often confuses his disciples.

Then there are other times in which Jesus plainly speaks to them. And even when he plainly speaks to them It's like his words go right over.

Their heads.

So here you have Christ speaking plainly to them. They're asking what's gonna happen. Jesus. What are we to expect as we go to Jerusalem. And Jesus speaks clearly to them. He says the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priest.

He says that they will condemn him put him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles and that he will be spit upon flogged and killed. And after three days he will rise. Now, I don't think it's in Mark's gospel.

But I think it's in Matthew's gospel Luke's gospel where after this saying is said to them. It says. And they ponder amongst themselves what he had meant. I Think he was pretty clear, wasn't he? Exactly.

What was to happen and transpire, but the Apostles were incredulous. They couldn't believe that their Savior that their Redeemer the Messiah of Israel would have to go through these things. Their expectations were not always correct.

So we too at times have to check our expectations whether it's Our expectations of how God is going to show up in our lives how God is going to help us in daily Circumstances or whether it be regarding the glorious second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

We may not have all the expectations correct. This is where scripture instructs us to wait and trust upon the Lord. And so with that being said Let's turn to him 217 and we can stay seated for this hymn looky Saints 217 and we will stay seated as we sing.

See the man of sorrows now from the fight he turned.

Victorious.

Every need to him shall bow.

Crowd.

Creek on the There's brown Men church our main text for this morning's message is going to be found in the gospel of Luke chapter 11 verses 14 to 26. I Asked that you turn to your Bibles there and when you have that please do stand for the reading of God's Word.

Again, the text this morning will be Luke chapter 11 starting in verse 14. Hear ye this morning the Word of the Lord. Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out to the mute man spoke and the people marveled.

But some of them said he cast out demons by Beelzebub the prince of demons while others to test him kept seeking him a Sign from heaven, but he knowing their thoughts said to them. Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste in a divided household falls.

And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub and If I cast out demons by Beelzebub by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore They will be your judges.

But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his own palace his goods are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him He takes away his armor in which he trusts and divides his spoil.

Whoever is not with me is against me. Whoever does not gather with me Scatters when the unclean spirit had gone out of a person it passes through Waterless places seeking rest in finding none. It says I will return To my house from which I came and when it comes it finds the house swept and put in order.

Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself and they Enter and dwell there and the last state of that person is worse than the first. This is the word of the Lord you may be seated.

The Kingdom of God Has Come Upon You

Let me pray father. We do again come before you thankful For your provisions of this past week. That despite the trials and tribulations that we've encountered and faced You have proven to be faithful yet again and Bringing us to this place of worship to receive instruction from your word.

We pray Lord that as we receive this instruction that we would recognize the kingdom to which we belong to a kingdom that cannot be shaken a kingdom that cannot be deterred a Kingdom that has been firmly established by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords himself.

Even King Jesus to whom be glory this morning and forevermore.

Amen.

What church has we endeavor to look at this passage of Scripture in the gospel of Luke you are now familiar with? Some of the earmarks of Christ's ministry. In the ministry of Christ Christ is delivering people from bondage and bondages of various types.

An Example that we've seen the Gospels of one the bondages of which Christ delivers is the bondage of sickness. We've seen Christ heal the sick. We've also seen Christ deliver from the bondage of demonic oppression.

This is not the first instance in which we see Jesus speaking of demonic possession and In this case in verse 14 of Luke 11 We see now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out the mute man spoke and the people marveled.

We see Jesus also Bring forth deliverance in the area of death itself where Jesus even raises the dead. Jesus is the great deliverer in every sense of the word. And the Old Testament the term deliverer Had a connotation that connotation being directly linked to Moses as the great deliverer of God's people.

As God's people being in bondage in Egypt. We're looking forward to a certain type of deliverance. This was a political deliverance. This was also a deliverance from the bondage of slavery from foreign oppressors.

Now the people in Israel as Jesus was living and walking were looking forward to a similar type of Deliverance. Their deliverance that they were looking forward to was to be delivered from their oppressors by the Roman State.

The Roman Empire ruled the world of an iron fist and they ruled over the land of Israel and Upon that land was great oppression. And so they were looking forward to the Messiah to relieve them to deliver them from their Gentile oppressors.

And yet as Jesus fulfills his ministry We see Jesus delivering but of a different type and of a different kind his deliverance again. Is that which he delivers people from their sickness delivers people from demonic oppression?

That delivers people from the bonds of death itself. But even more importantly as you begin to see time and time again Jesus is delivering people from the despair of sin and death all the effects of The endemic sin that it affects the world whether it be sickness.

Whether it be demonic oppression whether it be death itself Jesus is demonstrating that he is the true deliverer of God's people. He is indeed the greater Moses in every single way and he demonstrates this by exercising his authority.

If you came in this morning He received in a bulletin in that bulletin should be an insert. If you want to follow along today's teaching Jesus continues to exercise.

Authority.

By cleaning the house of Israel. You see Israel was looking for a certain type of deliverable. They received the greatest deliverer man can know in Jesus of Nazareth. He is indeed delivering them and among the way that he delivers them is by Delivering them from demonic oppression from unclean spirits.

And so Jesus again continues to exercise Authority by cleaning the house of Israel from unclean spirits. Again they're in the earthly ministry of Jesus we observe this Phenomenon that is not strange to the world of the Old Testament this phenomenon of demonic oppression or possession and In the times of Christ these things were actually amplified.

Demonic activity was at an all-time high even compared to the Old Testament. Why. Because as Jesus was coming into the world as this kingdom was breaking into the world. Certainly the kingdom of darkness also was ramping up its activity to try to deter to try to meet The kingdom of God in the person and work of Jesus so you might ask yourself the question Why is there more or seemingly more demonic activity in the New Testament stories of the Gospels than in the Old Testament?

Stories though we do see demonic possession and an oppression in the Old Testament. We see it at a very in far more rampant pace in the New Testament the reason being again God's kingdom is breaking into the world through Jesus Christ and the kingdom of darkness is well aware of this and its Activity is ramped up to try to deter the prince of peace because the prince of darkness was at work.

We see here transpire in Luke's gospel in verse 15 of Luke 11, it says this but some of them after seeing the Miraculous deliverance from demonic oppression by the hands of Christ. It says some of them said He cast out demons by Beelzebub the prince of demons.

Can you imagine? Seeing the Deliverer seeing the Redeemer seeing him at work seeing how even the forces of darkness tremble at his voice and then attributing to that one the chosen one of Israel that to him is.

Is.

That the reason why he's able to fulfill these things and deliver people is not by the power of God. But instead by the power of Beelzebub. Who is Beelzebub? Beelzebub is the prince of demons. Would you write this in the notes his opponents claimed?

He was using Beelzebub or the prince of demons to cast out demons. The word Beelzebub literally means Baal the old the Old Testament foe of God Baal the prince or Baal the prince Baal being the Old Testament false god of the Canaanites.

Who in the ancient who was the ancient and prominent God of the Canaanites? And he was in a sense a false impression of Yahweh a false impression of the true God of Israel. And so the opponents of Christ Link Jesus to the pagan God of the Canaanites and they say it's not by Yahweh's hand that Jesus is accomplishing this.

But rather it is by Beelzebub by all the prince. The prince of demons it is by this Canaanite false God that this man is a company is accomplishing these works. This is utter Blasphemy to attribute to Christ to attribute to the Holy Ghost a false deity a false God in a false narrative is Indeed among the highest forms of blasphemy that one can engage in.

Part of the criticism that also accompanied the work of Christ here as deliverer in verse 16 says while others to test him Kept seeking from him a sign from heaven so they were saying Jesus if you're truly the deliverer if you're likened unto Moses.

Show us great signs. For even our father Moses gave great signs in the wilderness. He was accompanied by the splitting of the Red Sea. His miraculous works were accompanied by fire coming down from heaven to deter the Egyptians.

Upon the marks and the the the signs of Moses was also the presence of the Lord himself upon That great and powerful sign in mountain Sinai where the Lord descends as a flaming fire. Prove to us that you're the greater Moses prove to us that you're the great deliverer.

Give us signs from heaven. What they were missing is that the greatest sign from heaven was standing before them. Because Jesus said he is that bread of life that came down from heaven. Jesus is that eternal word made flesh Dwelt among us.

He's the one who pitched his tabernacle among men so that in Jesus the eternal Infinite God can be handled and touched and seen the only son from the father full of grace and truth. The greatest sign had been made known through and in the person and work of Jesus.

So though they were clamoring from signs from heaven he was indeed that very sign from heaven given to men and. What a shame it is indeed that they demanded these signs and attributed to Jesus this false narrative this false identification with Belzebub or Baal.

When he is indeed Yahweh come and human flesh He goes on. Jesus responds to the critics in verse 17. But he knowing their thoughts again another subtle way that the gospel writers point to the divinity of Jesus but fact that Jesus knows the hearts knows the thoughts who can know the thoughts and intentions of the human heart and mind but Christ but God himself.

And he responds by saying these words every kingdom Divide against itself is laid waste in a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Belzebub.

So Jesus responds again by saying that every kingdom and house divided will what? It'll fall. It'll fall. But you write down the notes as well. Jesus said that every kingdom and house divided will fall and he explicitly in this text links Satan to Belzebub.

So though they're trying to attribute Bell Christ who bells above Jesus actually brings out the true and bright identification of Belzebub by in verse 18 saying. And if Satan also is divided against himself.

How will his kingdom stand for you say that I cast out demons by Belzebub again? He's identifying bells above rightly in this scenario with Satan now this brings up an interesting point of reference in Scripture that in the world the Old and New Testament a Spiritual worldview is at play.

So what I mean by that is that clearly in the Old Testament There was but one true God to be recognized to be worshipped and this is Yahweh Jehovah the very God to whom we express Thanksgiving and praises in our song and our hymnal this morning that Yahweh Jehovah to him belongs the hallelujahs all praise be to this one true creator God and.

Yet in.

The Old Testament world where Belzebub or Bob was at work and at play. These were true.

Spiritual.

Principalities guising themselves demonic powers guising themselves as divinities and so the Bible says that the Old Testament those who the Pagans once worshipped what they want sacrifice to the indeed were sacrificing to demons.

So it's not to say that the gods of the nations even today There truly is a God that is being worshipped under the guise of Allah. For instance in the Muslim faith There is no doubt that there is a divinity a power a stronghold that it's inspiring Individuals to strap bombs to themselves and carry out holy jihad holy warfare against the enemies of Allah.

But that is not the true God of Israel. This is a false God and in the Old Testament Satan is the principality associated with. But all and the New Testament we see that other Principalities and in for instance in the book of Revelation Jesus likens the God Zeus to Satan so these principalities these powers are very real but these are principalities that are guising them guising themselves or or or as the Apostle Paul writes in 2nd Corinthians that these are aimed these are demonic beings who masquerade as angels of light.

So here again, Jesus does indeed equate Satan to Belzebub and the kingdom of God here is now elevated as distinct and Different from the kingdom of Satan and the world notice again what the text says in verse 17 and 18.

Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste in a divided household. Falls and if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? So there are two kingdoms at play in this world there's God's kingdom and then there's Satan's kingdom.

The kingdoms of this world are under the fellowship of Satan the devil, how do we know this? Well, the Bible says this considering the state of this world. 2nd Corinthians 4 4 says that Satan is a god of this age.

Blinding the minds of the unbelievers today may not see the glorious light of the gospel of Christ. When Satan was tempting our Lord Jesus Christ. What did he offer him but all the kingdoms of the world?

What indeed does it say in 1st John chapter 5 verse 19? But that the whole world is lying in the hand of the evil one. Truly Satan is the power as the Apostle Paul says the power the Prince of the air who is at work in the sons of disobedience and.

So we have two kingdoms at play here. God's kingdom that in the gospel of Luke and in the incarnation and through the life and ministry of Jesus is breaking into the world and Pushing back against the kingdom of darkness the kingdom of Beelzebub the kingdom of Satan.

We see the kingdom of God is distinct and it's different from every other Kingdom in that it is the only kingdom that is truly undivided. There are not two or more political parties vying for power in God's kingdom.

The world today that we see is a divided kingdom and we all have to do. And we all and all we have to do is turn on the media for instance to see it. And so there's a danger that happens when we invite the world's division into the Church of Christ.

When you look at today's world how divided is through political lines social lines economic lines racial lines. We need not invite those divisions into the church. For in Christ in God's abode in the body of Christ though We are all distinct and the church has many members.

Yet we are all one in Christ Jesus. So that all those who truly profess Jesus Christ and know him as Savior and Come under the rightful lordship of Jesus Christ. We have a same inheritance we have a same brother in Jesus and we have the same father in Yahweh and.

So we must beware not to invite the world's division into God's household. Charles Spurgeon wrote this and he said you cannot cast out Satan by Satan. Nor correct error by violence. Nor overcome hate by hate.

The conquering weapon of the Christian is.

Love.

It's love. Love is what helps us to conquer within the church. Love is what helps us to conquer in the world. It's not by being hateful in meeting division with division. But rather its main division with Christian love and unity because it's in Christian love that we find true in abiding unity for he Loved us first.

Therefore we can now love one another as he has taught and instructed us to do. Christian love is the answer to Satan's divided kingdom. Christian love is indeed the currency of God's kingdom and economy.

Christ, Beelzebub, and the Divided Kingdom

Jesus goes on to continue his rebuke of These Pharisees and Jews when he goes on in verse 19 to say this. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub. By whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

What does Christ mean when he says by whom do your sons cast them out? He's referring to the Jewish people. He's referring to the sons of Israel. If you if I cast out bells of demons by Beelzebub by Satan.

Well, then those among you who are casting out demons as well by what authority by what name are they casting out? Demons is the rhetorical question that he meets them with. He goes on the same verse 20.

He says this. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons. Then the kingdom of God has come upon you. This is very important in recognizing the good news of Jesus Christ. If Jesus indeed is casting out demons by God's finger.

Then I want you to write this in there God then the kingdom of God. I Want you to write in the present tense.

Has.

Come upon them. Here's the implication The kingdom of God is a current.

Reality.

If it is indeed by the finger of God that the Lord Jesus Christ is expelling these demonic forces Jesus using uses the sons of the prophet that stood with Elijah as an example of God's supernaturally again anointing individuals to confront these demonic powers of Darkness, he says that these sons the sons of the prophet will be their judges on that day.

Since someone greater than the prophet is here in the person of Jesus Christ. This has implications for our understanding of the church today. This has implications for our understanding of the future.

There are those even within Christendom those amongst the the Brotherhood of Fellowship of believers who wrongly hold to a view that it says the kingdom is yet future that the kingdom is a is a future reality and that it will be a reality that will be realized amongst in a thousand year future reign of Jesus and the Declaration from Christ himself in this narrative.

Is that the kingdom of God has Come upon them in the person and work of Jesus. And we know this even more truly now today because Christ after accomplishing his ministry his earthly submission to the father his humble obedience his death and burial and resurrection in his subsequent Glorification at the right hand of God the father he now and today and forever more is Enthroned as we sing earlier today.

He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It doesn't get higher than that. He is as the Apostle Peter proclaims in Acts chapter 2 the exalted one. He cannot be more exalted than he is today. Why. Because he has accomplished the work of redemption?

He is the one to whom the book of Revelation speaks of when it says that there was a scroll in the midst of the heavens of heavens and There was no one among even the created throngs of God who was worthy to open its seals yet silence fell upon heaven and Among that silence came writing in the perfect Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world.

Amen. This Jesus was the one who alone was found worthy to open its seals to bring us the decree of God. Because he is the exalted and forevermore enthroned King of Kings Lord of Lords Prince of Peace.

He is God the eternal Word made flesh and he is reigning today. Amen. He's reigning We can we're not waiting for a future enthronement. He's King today. Therefore we ought to have an optimism about the Christian Church in its mission.

Why?

Though I agree that things in the world may go from bad to worse what that means for the church is that we are a victorious people writing with Jesus who is the conqueror. Some folks would would put Jesus as the as Among the four horsemen of the Apocalypse.

He's the one he's the rider who is Conquering. He's the one who is who is bringing forth conquering in his robe. And certainly Jesus gives that image to us in Revelation chapter 19 where he is the one who comes forth from heaven with a sword.