Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Several weeks ago, I was awakened in the middle of the night to what sounded like explosions, and I mean, intense explosions. And it seemed as if this was going on in my backyard.
[00:00:18] And it sounded like fireworks, and I like fireworks. So I was kind of hoping someone was shooting off fireworks in the middle of the night in my backyard.
[00:00:26] But I looked out and saw nothing. It was dark.
[00:00:30] And then I know the farm behind our house has a lot of coyotes, and I wondered if that's what they were doing. Some folks were back there killing coyotes, but the sounds kind of had a pattern to them.
[00:00:44] And I don't know if it was every 45 minutes, an hour and a half apart, but they had some sort of pattern. As I was in and out of sleep, I was picking up on.
[00:00:55] And, you know, at night you can begin to convince yourself of all kinds of things.
[00:01:00] And as I laid in bed, I thought, maybe that's dynamite.
[00:01:05] You know, they're putting in some gas lines, I think, behind our house and few farms over. And maybe they've hit some rock and they're dynamiting the rock.
[00:01:16] You know, our neighbor has a wood stove, and often as he's filling his stove full of wood, smoke will fill his house. And the fire department comes. This happens once a month.
[00:01:27] Maybe his house really is on fire. And those are gas cans just exploding everywhere. And you have these images in your head of what's going on outside, gas cans exploding.
[00:01:39] Or maybe we're, you know, in a red dawn situation. We really are under attack.
[00:01:44] Some of you children from the 80s know about that movie.
[00:01:49] But it happened a couple of nights, I think, over a couple of weeks. And we finally found out, as someone had posted on Facebook, that the farm behind us had set up a propane cannon, and it was meant to scare the coyotes away from their calves who had just been birthed.
[00:02:11] And it seemed as if the timer on this cannon had gotten stuck. And maybe when it was around our house, there's an embankment, sort of a cliff behind our house. And as these cannons were going off, there was just this echo across the field behind our house. And it scared us over a while. We were like, maybe we should check into this.
[00:02:35] Maybe there is something horrible going on. And finally we see this Facebook post and realize what it is.
[00:02:43] But it was the mystery that made me uneasy.
[00:02:49] Just kind of thinking, what is that sound?
[00:02:52] What is that thunderous sound?
[00:02:55] How horrible could it be? It's the mystery that makes us uneasy. And even at night, we hear sounds in our house, creeks or whatever outside. And we can begin to convince ourselves that that sound is always something terrible.
[00:03:12] But when we come to this chapter of Scripture, John hears thunder.
[00:03:17] And God intentionally leaves it mysterious for us.
[00:03:22] He doesn't tell us what it is. And it's to have that effect of uneasiness on us.
[00:03:28] What is this sound? What are these thunders that God will not allow John to write down?
[00:03:37] And our minds are to begin to race. We've heard of all kinds of judgment in Revelation, all kinds of terrible judgment. This must be something horrible to. Because he's not allowed to write it down.
[00:03:53] I'll remind you, as we've moved through the book of Revelation, that the Apostle John is writing this book or letter to seven churches, while he is exiled on the isle of Patmos. And he's exiled there for preaching the Gospel. And in the first three chapters, we get the context for the churches that he's writing to. They are churches who are enduring persecution under the Roman government. They're losing their job, they're losing their family.
[00:04:24] Some of them are being killed for preaching the gospel. And this is who John writes this letter to.
[00:04:32] And he wants to encourage them and give them hope as they witness the gospel and wait for Jesus.
[00:04:39] In chapters four and five, John was taken into heaven to see what's going on there. And there God is ruling. He is on the throne and he is ruling and he is reigning. So none of this suffering is out of his control.
[00:04:54] And he in heaven has given the plans for human history to the Lamb that was slain, the Son of God, Jesus.
[00:05:03] And Jesus has begun to unveil or open up this scroll, the blueprints for what God is doing in the world right now.
[00:05:14] And we've seen so far in chapter six through nine, these judgments that Jesus is unleashing on the world right up until the point he returns these birth pangs that Jesus describes. Wars, rumors of wars, famine, earthquake, persecution, apostasy. All of these things are being allowed by Jesus to shake us and wake us up before his return, before his second coming. And we've seen these judgments so far. And what are the seven seals?
[00:05:53] And now we're in the trumpets and these two. The seals and trumpets just tell the same story over and over. There's three cycles, and it's telling the story of what we call the last days from the ascension of Christ till his return.
[00:06:10] We see these types of judgment that God is unleashing upon the world through the authority of Christ. But as we saw in the seven seals, right before the final one, there was an interlude. It's almost as if Jesus stops before the final judgment and says, as you see all these horrible things. Hold up just a second.
[00:06:34] I want to remind you that through it all, the people of God are safe.
[00:06:40] The people of God will be sealed through all of this. And we saw that in chapter seven. This multitude that is set apart, sealed to Christ, even though we see judgment, they will be saved, they will be redeemed. A people from every tribe, every tongue, every language.
[00:07:00] And here again we see that with the trumpets, there's this stop in the action.
[00:07:05] And as you've heard of all these horrible things, war, creation that is disordered and erupting and violence, demonic oppression that you'll see in the world, I want to remind you once again, the people of God are sealed and safe.
[00:07:29] And he does so in verse one with a messenger of mercy notice. Then I saw another mighty angel.
[00:07:38] This is a giant angel coming down from heaven.
[00:07:42] Now this angel here, just right out the gate, this could be Jesus.
[00:07:47] As we look at the description here, it's very similar to the vision that John saw back in chapter one of Jesus back in the beginning of revelation. It's very similar to that first vision, but he uses the word angel. And it's likely to be a messenger that is revealed with the same characteristics of Christ meant to remind us of Christ.
[00:08:15] Notice he is wrapped in a cloud.
[00:08:18] We see throughout Scripture that God is this mighty warrior who rides on the clouds and comes to judge his enemies. And he goes to war for his people. And the clouds are like his chariots of judgment.
[00:08:35] Notice with a rainbow over his head. These are colors that we've already seen that are shining around the throne of God.
[00:08:45] And the mention of rainbow reminds us of God's covenant, love and mercy to his people.
[00:08:51] Like Noah was saved during judgment, God was judging the world. And yet God was faithful to his promises and rescued Noah.
[00:09:02] Notice, and his face was like the sun, the holy presence, the holy face of God.
[00:09:10] Purifying face of God.
[00:09:13] Here, this angel is to remind us of all of these characteristics, not just of God generically, but of Jesus that we've already seen.
[00:09:22] They notice his legs were like pillar of fire. We've already heard a similar description of Jesus and this refers to to his stability.
[00:09:32] He has been tested, he has been tried, and he's standing firm even through the fires of judgment. And we see how Jesus fulfills all of this. He is God's warrior that will come on the clouds. He is the one who has fulfilled God's covenant mercy to his people. He is the Glory of God that we've seen in his face. We've seen the glory of God, Paul tells us.
[00:09:59] And his legs like pillars of fire, he has been tested through the cross and resurrection. So this is to remind us of Jesus. But what does this angel do? He had a little scroll opened in his hand. Now, I believe this is just a replica of the scroll from chapter five.
[00:10:18] It's a replica of God's plans for human history. And here the point is those plans, plans are being brought down to earth. This is where those things are going to be carried out.
[00:10:30] Notice verse three.
[00:10:34] He had a little scroll in his hand, and he set his right foot on the sea. That's still back in verse two.
[00:10:39] And his left foot on the land here. This is authority that encompasses the whole earth. This scroll is being brought down and these plans will be carried out on earth. Verse 3.
[00:10:51] And he called out with a loud voice like a roaring lion. And we see throughout Scripture that the voice of God is like a terrifying lion that is meant to cause us to tremble. And so whether this is the voice of God calling out, it is to remind us of God's authoritative word that is being spoken to us in all of these plans and all of these things that are being unveiled to John.
[00:11:20] And notice. And when he called out, the seven thunders sounded. Now, again, we're not told what these thunders are, but roaring lion, voice of God, they sound forth.
[00:11:36] We've already heard the trumpets that are terrifying. What are these thunders?
[00:11:43] Thunder reminds us of the earth shaking.
[00:11:47] There's something terrifying going on here.
[00:11:50] And thunder in Scripture always refers to God's judgment.
[00:11:56] Remember, Jesus is standing before a crowd and he's talking to his Father about the glory that will be restored to him.
[00:12:04] And God speaks to him and people around here and they go, what was that thunder?
[00:12:11] Who was?
[00:12:13] We heard someone speaking to him. And that's just thunder. Maybe it was an angel. And Jesus turns to them and says, no, that was for you. And that was a warning that judgment is coming.
[00:12:25] Thunder is equated with judgment. And so whatever is going on here, there is a judgment that is being sounded forth. Notice verse four.
[00:12:35] And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write them down. And so John understands what this is to some sense, and he begins to write them down. But the voice from heaven said, no, no, no, no. Seal up the seven thunders, what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.
[00:12:56] And so God doesn't allow us, in a very specific sense to know what These thunders are.
[00:13:03] We're to just know their judgment, and they're terrifying.
[00:13:07] And the mystery is to make us a little bit uneasy.
[00:13:12] What is that?
[00:13:14] How more. How much more terrifying could this be?
[00:13:20] And in some sense, it could be God shielding us from even scarier things.
[00:13:27] The world is scary enough, right?
[00:13:31] The things that we know scare us enough.
[00:13:35] Imagine if he told us all the things we don't know, how terrified we would be.
[00:13:41] But I believe here there is something more specific.
[00:13:45] Notice all the allusions to the Exodus that we've covered in Revelation, specifically last week, when we talked about these judgments that are coming upon the world. And they're like the plagues that came upon Egypt, and they were to awaken Pharaoh.
[00:14:01] And they were like warning shots from God.
[00:14:05] I'm coming to rescue my people.
[00:14:07] And then notice in context, where the angel's feet is sea and dry land.
[00:14:14] Does that remind you of something? With the Exodus, the people of God were rescued through the Red Sea on dry land, and then they were led in the wilderness by what? A pillar of cloud by day and fire at night.
[00:14:33] All of this imagery is to call us back to Exodus and remember in Exodus where Moses wanted to see the face of God and he got just a glimpse. And what did it do? It caused his face to shine.
[00:14:47] But here there is one who is the face of God. Jesus. But it's to call us back to Exodus. And then in Exodus chapter 19 and 20, God calls His people up to a mountain.
[00:15:00] And what does he do on this mountain? He gives them the law.
[00:15:04] And when he's giving them the law, what's going on?
[00:15:08] Well, there's thunder.
[00:15:10] What else?
[00:15:12] There are trumpets being sounded here. This is to remind us when God called his people up to Mount Sinai and began to thunder forth his law.
[00:15:26] And what did the law do? The Law was meant to show us God's perfection. The Ten Commandments.
[00:15:34] They are meant to show us how holy and perfect God is.
[00:15:39] Why?
[00:15:40] To show us how unholy and imperfect and unrighteous we are. And what does the Law do to us?
[00:15:48] It condemns us.
[00:15:50] It thunders forth.
[00:15:53] You are guilty.
[00:15:57] And what is Jesus doing here?
[00:16:00] He's silencing the law for his people.
[00:16:04] Just like the people were sealed up in Revelation, chapter seven and secure here he takes their judgment, their condemnation, the law. And he silences it.
[00:16:16] And he wants us to know that all that would condemn you, even from the law of God and has been silenced. The judgment of God that rests upon every human soul through the law of God that condemns us in Christ has been closed up. The Lamb who is opening the scroll of judgment here, he is unleashing judgment upon the world, the earth dwellers. He has shut the book of damnation for his people. No, no, no, that judgment, close it up, because I've already paid for it for my people.
[00:16:53] And what's the point? Well, as we hear God's judgment on the world right now, think about all the bad news that you hear on a daily basis.
[00:17:04] And as we've gone through revelation, we've said, yeah, God said all these things would happen, the most horrible things. War, rumors of wars.
[00:17:13] We think about the Epstein files, we think about Gaza, Sudan, we just. We think about the turmoil and unrest that goes on on in our own nation.
[00:17:23] And we say, we see, yeah, God is allowing those things to go on to wake us up.
[00:17:29] And we hear the trumpets.
[00:17:32] As you hear the trumpets, the worst thing in the world would be for you to also hear your damnation, your condemnation.
[00:17:43] But God wants us to know, for his people, he has closed that up. He has silenced it.
[00:17:49] The truth of the law that condemns you.
[00:17:53] The law reveals that God is pure and he is holy and he is perfect, infinitely holy and pure.
[00:18:02] And that your sin is defined that way. It is an infinite sin because it's against an infinite holy God.
[00:18:11] The person you've sinned against is righteous, eternally righteous, and you've sinned against him. So you have sinned infinitely against an eternal God.
[00:18:25] Of all the horrible things that you could hear, you don't want to hear that.
[00:18:30] You don't want to hear that you've been condemned by this God that you've sinned against.
[00:18:36] And some of us hear not thunder, but whispers of these things on a daily basis that scare us to death.
[00:18:44] You're here today and you're thinking, well, if the book of God's condemnation were opened up today, the thoughts and intents of my heart, things that people in this room will never know about, I would never want them to know about things that I've done, things that I've said, things that I've felt that I would have no hope before a holy God.
[00:19:12] And what this passage is to do right here is to give us hope before a holy God, that you will never have to hear that thunder from God if you are in Christ ever.
[00:19:22] This is what Jesus came down from heaven to earth to fulfill the word of God, to fulfill the law in your place.
[00:19:33] He lived a perfect life that you could never live.
[00:19:37] You strive daily, and you're trying so hard every Day you wake up. I got to get it right today. I got to get it right today. You won't get it right, but Jesus got it right every day, every second. He's pure. He's lived a life in your place. And you know what he did? He fulfilled the law that would judge you and condemn you. And he met the demands of the law for you.
[00:20:02] What would thunder your guilt and echo through eternity. He paid for on the cross as he endured God's wrath in your place.
[00:20:13] He endured the judgment and the condemnation of death and hell that you deserve.
[00:20:20] And so as you hear the whispers and as you look at the trumpets in the world and you see and you experience and. And you're terrified by God's judgment, you can believe that the book of your condemnation has been closed. It's silenced. There is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ, who believed in Him. You won't hear it. You may hear shaking of thunder, but you won't hear it when Jesus comes. You've been rescued from what would condemn you. The thunder has been silence. The book has been closed. And so we see this messenger of mercy, but then we see this mystery of mercy. Notice verse 5. The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand and so he's going to take a vow. Verse 6. By him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it? The earth and what is in it. And the sea and what is in it. And so the Creator of all things hear this angel. This is why I believe it's probably an angel that's reflecting or representing Christ.
[00:21:31] But He. But he swears to the earth, to the people of the earth, that there will be no more delay.
[00:21:39] God stakes his name on fulfilling all of his promises.
[00:21:44] And there will come a point where he will judge his enemies, there will be justice, and he will rescue his people. How do we know he will do it? Because he's the Creator of all things. What's going to stop Him?
[00:21:55] The sea?
[00:21:57] The earth? Anything in it? No. He will fulfill all of his promises. And this angel swears by the Lord's name here that it will all take place.
[00:22:08] Notice when he says there's no more delay. So why are things still going on? Verse 7.
[00:22:13] But in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel at this time. This is why there's kind of a delay in the action.
[00:22:23] There's all these judgments of warning. Judgments of warning. Judgments of warning. Okay, let's stop. Because when the trumpet sounds and the last judgment comes.
[00:22:33] It's too late.
[00:22:35] There's no more delay when this last trumpet goes off.
[00:22:41] And notice what will happen.
[00:22:43] The mystery of God would be fulfilled just as he announced to his servants, the prophets. So what is this mystery?
[00:22:52] Now? We think of this mystery as something we got to work really hard to find out. It's not necessarily the case. It just simply means something that will be unveiled.
[00:23:04] But what is this that will be unveiled? When Romans chapter 16, we see that the mystery is that the Gentiles will be included into God's people. That through Christ, the mystery is forever. It won't just be Jew, but it will also be Gentile in the nations before the Messiah. That is a mystery that. That no one knew was coming except that the prophets had declared it.
[00:23:33] And then in Colossians, we see that the mystery is the hope of glory in you. Who's he referring to? Gentiles. That Gentiles who have believed in Jesus have the hope of the glory, of the kingdom that has been given to them.
[00:23:47] So the mystery as Gentiles will be included. And we see this in Ephesians where the church is described as the mystery of God, Jew and Gentile together, those in Christ.
[00:23:59] Paul even talks about in Ephesians 5 as he's talking about marriage and he says, I'm talking about the mystery of the Gospel. Christ and his church made up of Jew and Gentile. And we've seen this unfold in Revelation. Remember, in chapter five, the Lamb was slain to make us priests to God. From every tribe, every tongue, every nation. The multitude that we saw in chapter seven is made up of nations.
[00:24:24] This is the mystery.
[00:24:26] And we read in Isaiah who tells us that the Messiah will be a light to the nations and the Messiah will call all nations into Jerusalem to worship and serve him. That's the mystery. That is not just according to flesh, as we see in context. It's not just according to the law. No, it's Christ.
[00:24:51] In Christ, the nations, the Gentiles, will be a part of the people of God, this kingdom that is coming to rule and reign.
[00:25:00] And the book here In Daniel, chapter 12, the book reminds us of this chapter of Scripture where Daniel, a prophet, is given God's plan on the last day. He says, there's going to be this intense judgment that comes on the earth and then there will be a tie where God's people will be raised up.
[00:25:21] And he says, daniel, close that book up.
[00:25:25] Well, we've seen in Jesus that that book has been opened up. And what the Prophets were talking about was. It's not just the Jewish people. It's the Gentiles and nations who believe in Jesus. This is the mystery. It is the Church. The Church will be unveiled in the end, at the Last Judgment. They will not be condemned. That thunder has been silenced, but they will be unveiled as God's people, from every tribe, every tongue, every nation. And here's the point.
[00:25:56] The Church is not a subplot in God's plan.
[00:26:01] It is God's plan. It is the plot of the story, beginning in Genesis to Revelation.
[00:26:09] Jesus is going to be united to his people. He's going to crush the serpent's head. He's going to defeat sin and death. He's ruling and he's reigning, and he will forever. Why?
[00:26:20] For his people, the Church. It's not a subplot.
[00:26:25] You see, we clamor for significance every second of every day.
[00:26:32] We sit around and we say, God, I want my life to mean more.
[00:26:36] Why haven't you given me that role, that responsibility? Why is my name not in light?
[00:26:42] I thought I would be more special.
[00:26:46] We clamor for significance, to be a part of something bigger.
[00:26:50] And in the Church, you are a part of the thing that's bigger than all other things.
[00:26:56] True greatness. We look at the world right now, and it seems to be hidden.
[00:27:02] It's not on Capitol Hill and it's not in ESPN Highlights.
[00:27:07] It's right here.
[00:27:10] I do this all the time. I say, look around. You don't have to look around. Everybody, you come up to me, you say. When you say, look around, it makes me feel uncomfortable because I have to look at people I don't know. Don't look around. Look down. Then just know there's hundreds of people around you.
[00:27:24] This is the great thing God's doing right here.
[00:27:28] The mystery is being unveiled before your eyes.
[00:27:34] Do you see it? Don't look around. Do you get it?
[00:27:39] The church.
[00:27:42] Factory workers, plumbers, nurses, singing to King Jesus.
[00:27:46] The King Jesus that the religious crucified.
[00:27:50] Electricians, teachers, moms, salesmen, praying in the name of Jesus.
[00:27:57] This Jesus that the Romans killed and sought to stamp out his name, killing Christians.
[00:28:06] It's the same Jesus. And so we look back on Revelation and we see that context and we say, they tried to stop Jesus. They tried to stop his church. But look around.
[00:28:17] This is what God is doing in the world, and it cannot be hidden.
[00:28:21] The mystery will be unveiled perfectly on the last day. And we here in this room, we will be united to the four widows in a Romanian church in A village out in the middle of nowhere. And they have one pastor and their pastor comes to their house church and four other house churches every Sunday. And no one will ever know their name.
[00:28:45] But we will when the mystery is unveiled.
[00:28:49] Because we will join hands with them and we will worship the same Jesus. That's the mystery and it will be unveiled on the last day. Stop clamoring for more significance.
[00:29:03] Stop believing what the world tells you, that there is something better to be a part of.
[00:29:09] Repent of those desires in your heart and look around and lean into the church with great joy. Be thankful with gratitude that God allows us now to be a part of this unveiling glory before our eyes.
[00:29:26] A messenger of mercy. We see the mystery of mercy here and then we have a ministry of mercy beginning in verse 8. Notice then the voice that I heard from heaven spoke again, saying, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and dry land. Or land here again. This is just a replica.
[00:29:52] Remember our prayer in the Lord's Prayer on earth as it is in heaven. That's what's going on here. The scroll in heaven is being brought down to earth and it is being unleashed and unfolded on earth. God's plans are being enacted across the whole globe. Sea to dry land. Verse 9.
[00:30:13] So I went to the angel and I told him, give me the scroll.
[00:30:17] Now remember, the Lamb is the only one who can open the scroll. At this point the scroll has been opened. But notice and he said to me, take and eat it. And that's weird.
[00:30:30] That's what two kids playing in snow in your backyard probably said to each other this week. Cram the snow in the other one's face. Eat it.
[00:30:41] It's weird, it's strange.
[00:30:44] And notice he said, it'll make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet.
[00:30:51] Ingest this. It's going to make you sick.
[00:30:55] But before it makes you sick, you're going to taste the sweetness of the scroll.
[00:31:01] Notice verse 10. I took the scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it.
[00:31:06] And again, there's some symbolism here. The only way you can take the authority authoritative plan of God you can take it from the angel is that it's going to make you sick. It's going to cost you something for him to hand this baton to you.
[00:31:21] Notice I took the scroll from the angel and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.
[00:31:27] But when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.
[00:31:32] The experience of tasting this scroll was amazing.
[00:31:36] Pure honey.
[00:31:38] But then I was sick. I wanted to throw up.
[00:31:44] And so what's the point? Verse 11. You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings. Now in this prophecy, that you're to go out and declare to the enemies of God that he's coming to judge you and that he's going to rescue his people. As you declare this prophecy, from nations and languages and kingdoms, as you declare this judgment, as you preach this mystery, there's going to be delight in is the Word of God.
[00:32:18] But it's going to cost you something.
[00:32:20] It's going to make you sick.
[00:32:23] Why? Because it's God's judgment.
[00:32:26] And we see the design of the Gospel here, the proclamation that Jesus is Lord is bittersweet, right?
[00:32:35] Because there are those who believe it and there are those who reject it.
[00:32:40] And we've been given the bittersweet ministry to declare Jesus is Lord. And if you reject him, you will face the thunder, you will face the bitterness of judgment.
[00:32:54] But if you believe in him, there is sweet hope.
[00:32:57] And he wants John to experience his mission here.
[00:33:02] It's sweet, but bitter. He will give sweet hope to those who believe in Jesus, but he will be declaring judgment on those who reject Christ.
[00:33:14] Rome, there's judgment coming.
[00:33:17] To those who reject the Messiah, there is judgment coming.
[00:33:22] And while this is a sweet ministry, it will mean bitterness for him because it will cost him. It's already cost him. Notice, he says again, go prophesy.
[00:33:35] You're already on the isle of Patmos for preaching the gospel. Now go do it again.
[00:33:42] And there's going to be bitter judgment.
[00:33:46] This is the same thing Ezekiel was told. He was told to eat the scroll of judgment and it was sweet at first, but it became bitter. Jeremiah, the lamenting prophet, he declares that your words were found and I ate them. And your words became to me joy and delight in my heart. And what was Jeremiah doing, pronouncing judgment.
[00:34:10] But the word of God, God's kindness and warning, there was a sweetness in that.
[00:34:17] And it's true for us.
[00:34:20] We don't preach hell and judgment from a disposition of self righteousness.
[00:34:27] We preach hell and judgment, understanding the bitterness of our own sin.
[00:34:33] You understand, that's what makes the gospel relevant to those around you, is that you know before God and his law, you deserve to be condemned as you share the gospel with others. Do you feel that in your own soul we're not to preach from an air of self righteousness, that we have it together?
[00:34:55] No. We've tasted the bitterness of judgment and we need to rehearse those things in our own life.
[00:35:03] The apostle Paul, maybe the greatest missionary ever walked planet Earth, called himself the chief of sinners.
[00:35:16] If there is a race to see who's the best sinner, I'm winning every time. I used to kill Christians, guys, nobody's beating me in that race.
[00:35:25] I'm at the top of the list.
[00:35:28] And I believe that's what made Paul so zealous for the gospel, is because he knew what he deserved.
[00:35:37] And often in our own lives, we need to rehearse that bitterness in our own life. Be reminded of the pain that we caused other people.
[00:35:47] I lived as if, as though I'm the main character in this story. And everybody else, they're just props.
[00:35:55] And I used other people and there was bitterness and pain to that.
[00:36:00] The trouble that we caused ourself by alienating ourselves from God, I can make myself happy.
[00:36:11] The bitterness thought of. The thought of who I was before Christ and the embarrassment of where I would be without Christ. Do you ever think about those things?
[00:36:23] Those things will temper your self righteousness. As you talk to other people, as you look into their eyes, as you look into this image bearer and you begin to think, you know, I got it together.
[00:36:36] Remind yourself who you were.
[00:36:39] Remind yourself where you came from.
[00:36:42] The track record of bitterness that lingers over your life.
[00:36:46] The disappointment and unfulfilled promises that left you sick at your stomach.
[00:36:56] Rehearse those things, but do not leave the gospel out.
[00:37:02] Because there is a sweetness in the gospel. Understanding that you deserve hell for your sin and then realizing the grace that God has covered.
[00:37:13] As you go over that in your mind, you understand Jesus died for all that.
[00:37:18] See how gracious and kind God is.
[00:37:21] He's covered all of that. And there's delight and there's compelling joy in your heart. So often we're not compelling when we share the gospel because. Because we haven't ingested, hasn't become a part of us. It's just a task. And we stand at a distance and we think, I got to go through this task. And we haven't ingested the word of the gospel. We haven't made it our own. Sometimes we haven't even believed it.
[00:37:48] No, immerse yourself in the gospel.
[00:37:53] If you don't want to embrace the bitterness of guilt, you'll never taste the sweetness of the gospel ever should be something we do regularly in our own life.
[00:38:05] You'll hear the thunder, but you'll deny what it is.
[00:38:10] You'll try to close the book yourself.
[00:38:14] You'll say things like this when you hear the thunder of condemnation. I'm not that bad.
[00:38:21] Looking into the law of God. I'm not that bad.
[00:38:25] I'm better than half the people I know.
[00:38:28] I rank, you know, middle of the pack.
[00:38:32] You'll try to close the book.
[00:38:34] I don't deserve to be judged.
[00:38:38] But you'll always have an uneasy feeling because you know it's not good enough.
[00:38:43] Before the one who looks to Christ, he can say, I've already been in that thunder.
[00:38:50] In Christ who was crucified for me.
[00:38:53] And as I stand before him, the book is closed.
