The Model Life: Anticipation, Part 3

I love to preach. I really love to preach on prophecy. More than anything else, my passion is all about the end and how it's all going to turn out and the plan that God has for his people. I think all that is very, very important. In fact, if I could choose one book to preach on and only one book, it would be the book of Revelation, how all things come to an end and how exactly that's going to unfold. Some would say if they had one book to preach on, they'd use one of the Gospels and that would be good.

They could preach on the book of Matthew and that would tell us all about the royalty of the Messiah. They could preach on the book of Mark and that would tell us about the humility of the Messiah. Or the book of Luke and that would talk to us about the humanity of the Messiah. Or the Gospel of John, which speaks to us about the deity of the Messiah. But the book of Revelation is different because the book of Revelation is all about the majesty of the Messiah, the glory of the Messiah, and the victory of the Messiah.

Revelation does something the Gospels don't do. That's why it's called the Apocalypse, the unveiling of the Christ. It's not the book of revelations, plural, it's the book of the revelation, singular. It is the consonant revelation of Jesus Christ, our Lord. But there's another reason why if I could choose one book to preach on, it would be the book of Revelation. If I was to ask you what is the first prophecy in the Bible, I'm sure many of you would know that.

It's in Genesis chapter 3, verse number 15. How about how the seed of the woman would crush the serpent's head. All about how God was going to bring redemption to his people. So the very first prophecy in the Bible from God to man is about the first coming of God to earth.

But the second prophecy in the Bible is crucial because the second prophecy in the Bible is from a prophet, a man, to men about the second coming of God.

Very important. The first prophecy from God to man about God is about the incarnation, the redemption of man.

But the second prophecy is the first prophecy from man to man about God. And it's about the revelation of God, the second coming of God.

But you won't find it in the Old Testament. You only find it in the New. And you find it in Jude's epistle, the 14th verse. And you read these words. It was also about these men, these apostates, these false teachers, that Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam prophesying or prophesied saying, behold, the Lord came with many thousands of his holy ones. Enoch, Genesis chapter 5, the seventh from Adam, seventh generation from Adam, prophesied about the second coming of the Messiah, not his first coming.

That's fascinating. Why wouldn't Enoch prophesy about the impending judgment of the flood upon the earth? Because God didn't tell him about that. But God did tell Enoch, and Enoch is very much revered in Judaism, Enoch and Elijah, because they are the only two in the Old Testament that never died, they just went up into glory. But he would prophesy concerning how God is going to deal with apostates, false teachers. Because he says, the Lord came. He didn't say the Lord is going to come or the Lord is coming.

He says the Lord came with many of his holy ones. He speaks as if it's a done deal. This is Genesis chapter 5, but he speaks as if it's a done deal, because it's prophecy, it's true, it will happen exactly as was prophesied. And we know that in the book of Revelation, the Lord comes with his holy ones. Some would say, well, that's the saints, and it could be, or it could be the angels, because the angels are the ones that enact the judgment upon the earth, and God uses them to do so. But he says in verse 15, that when he comes, he's going to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds, which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

That is the second coming of the Messiah, not his first coming. So with the first prophecy from man to man about God centers on his second coming and not his first coming, it tells you of the priority of preaching on end time events, and the coming, the second coming of the Messiah.

But note this, that the book of Revelation is filled with blessing. It talks about the horror of tribulation. It talks about how man is going to die in the judgment of God upon the earth, but it's filled with blessing. Revelation chapter 1, verse number 3, blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it, for the time is near. Time is near. And blessing comes when you read this book. Now blessing comes when you read the Bible, period, right?

But specifically in the book of Revelation, it begins with this, blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy, who heed the words of this prophecy, and then at the end in Revelation chapter 22, verse number 7, it says, and behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book. So this book of Revelation, this apocalypse, this unveiling of the Messiah is bracketed with blessing, that if you are to read this book, do what's written in this book, then a great blessing comes to your life.

If when you read it, you're not blessed, you didn't read it correctly. You read it wrong, so go back and read it again, because the blessing comes when you read it, when you hear it, when you obey it, the blessing comes. So if you want your life to be blessed, read and heed the prophecy of Revelation. That's how important it is. In fact, I've shared this with you before, I'll share it again just to reiterate it. Prophecy occupies one-fifth of Scripture, one-fifth of Scripture. And the second coming of the Messiah occupies one-third of that one-fifth of Scripture.

Of the 333 prophecies that are specifically speaking about the arrival of the Messiah, 109 of them were fulfilled in His first coming, leaving 224 yet to be fulfilled in His second coming.

And by the way, if all 109 prophecies were fulfilled in His first coming, literally, then the next 224 in His second coming will also be fulfilled literally, not figuratively, not symbolically, but literally, for our Lord is consistent.

Of the 46 Old Testament prophets, less than 10 of them speak of events in Christ's first coming. While 36 of them speak of events connected to His second coming.

There are 1,527 Old Testament passages referring to the second coming of the Messiah. In the New Testament, there are 7,959 verses. I counted them this morning. 330 of them which directly refer to the second coming.

In other words, one out of every 25 verses you read addresses the second coming of the Messiah. Note this, there are 260 chapters in the New Testament of which 216 of them reference His second coming.

Twenty-three of the 27 New Testament books address the second coming of the Messiah. Next to faith, the topic of faith, the second coming is the most dominant topic in the Bible.

For every time the first coming is mentioned, the second coming is mentioned eight times. Every time the atonement is mentioned, the second coming is mentioned twice.

Our Lord refers to His coming 21 different times, and 50 different times Christians are exhorted to be ready for His coming. By virtue of those statistics alone, it would absolutely require every preacher to emphasize prophecy. It would require every sound biblical preacher to make sure he devotes his efforts to the end because the end of a matter is better than the beginning of a matter according to Ecclesiastes 7 verse number 8. And we're all moving that way anyway. So don't you want to know how it all turns out?

My children are always ragging on me because I always unveil the end of the movie before the movie, and they can't stand that. But I love to give the end. I love to give the surprise at the end. You got to know how it all comes out, and they don't want to know. Well, same thing is true with the Bible. Don't you want to know how it all ends? How it all unfolds? What happens next? I do. I mean, why do we watch a series? To get to the end of the series. To find out what happens at the end. Why do you read a book?

To find out what happens at the last chapter. As Christians, we're anticipating the end. So we live in anticipation. In some way, somehow, over these series of messages, and first, Thessalonians 4 and 5, where we are at in our present study, I can stimulate your level of anticipation higher than it's been before.

That's a good thing. And believe me, I have so much to say, it's hard for me to contain all that needs to be said. In fact, for the majority of my ministry over the last 30 years at the church, speaking about the end usually happens on a Wednesday evening. The book of Revelation was on Wednesday night. The book of Daniel was on Wednesday night. The series we did on the return of the king was on Wednesday night. Second Thessalonians was about on Wednesday night.

In fact, the only time I truly addressed the second coming was Sunday morning when we went through the Gospel of Luke, and it took us nine years to get through that gospel.

And it took us five months to get through the last five days of our Lord's time on earth, but we had to cover the Olivet Discourse. But for the majority of my teaching at the church here at Christ's Community, it's been on Wednesday nights. So forgive me if I'm prolonging 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Thessalonians 5 by helping you understand the day of Christ, the day of the Lord, and the day of God, how they're not the same, how they're all uniquely and distinctly different from one another, but you need to understand them.

That is absolutely important. But when you think about the book of Revelation and the unveiling of the Messiah, there are many events that are going to take place on earth through the sealed judgments and through the trumpet judgments and the bowl judgments. There are many different signs that lead up to the coming of the Messiah. And yet, when it comes to the rapture of the church or the translation of the church or the church being caught up into glory, there are no signs that lead it to that because that is the event that kicks off the rest of the events.

When Christ comes for His church and takes us home to be with Him, then what you have is the kickstart to the end. And the tribulation does not begin with the rapture of the church into heaven. Please understand that. People say, well, here's the rapture of the church. It begins on this day. Within seven years later on this day, Jesus is coming back again. No, because the tribulation doesn't begin, according to Daniel 9, until the Antichrist confirms his covenant with Israel for a week or seven years.

That's when it begins. The translation of the church into glory, the catching away of the church into glory as 1 Thessalonians 4 talks about, the word is harpazo, the violently snatching away the church, there are no signs that lead up to that. That's why for 2,000 years, we've been living in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah. We live anticipating that this could be the day because there are no signs leading up to that day. But Christ wanted all of His believers to live in anticipation because that is a characteristic of the model life.

1 Thessalonians 4, 1 to 8, abstinence is a characteristic of the model life. Verses 9 to 12, aspiration, aspiration to loving abundantly and living appropriately is a characteristic of the model life. Now, anticipation in verses 13 to 18 is the characteristic of the model life. We live in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah. Longing, looking, living, loving, the fact that He's going to come again. That's what marks us out as uniquely different than the world. We are anticipating the coming of the King.

Let me tell you some characteristics about the rapture. Number one, it's a sure event, absolutely sure, ironclad.

How do we know that? Because the veracity of Christ is at stake. How do we know that? He said in John 14 that I'm going to go away and if I leave, I'm going to come back and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also. Christ says, this is what I'm going to do for you.

This time, I'm going to comfort your troubled heart as He speaks to the 12 on the eve of the crucifixion. I'm going to come back, receive you unto myself that where I am there, you will be also. It's important. The word of Christ is at stake. In Acts 1, when the Lord ascended into glory, in the two-minute white of peril, said, why do you stand gazing into heaven? Do you not know that this same Jesus will return in the same way in which he left? And they've been living in anticipation of His coming ever since then.

Interesting, there is a description of that event in the 12th chapter of the book of Revelation, which is significant. Because in the 12th chapter of Revelation, it says this, in verse number 5, as she gave birth to a son, a male child, that is, she, the woman, gave birth to a son, which is the Messiah, who is to rule all the nation with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. In other words, he was snatched away. The phrase caught up is the exact same phrase used in 1 Thessalonians 4, when it speaks about how we will be caught up together with them in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

It's the catching away of the saints. Harpazo is the word that's used there. So when the men were gazing up into heaven, and the Lord ascended from earth into glory, He was ascending up, and then all of a sudden, bang, He was snatched away. So Revelation 12 tells us exactly what happens. And so the angels, or the two men in white apparel said to them, listen, do you not know that this same Jesus will return in the same way in which He left? Why? Because He's going to snatch you up as well. He's going to take you away as well in a moment.

It's a sure event. It's going to take place. John 14, 1 Thessalonians 4, 13 to 18, as well as 1 Corinthians 15, 51 to 58 speak of the specifics of the translation of the church, the rapture of the church into glory. It's a sure event. But note this, not only is it a sure event, it is a surprising event. Because no man knows the day or the hour. Interesting that in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew Chapter 24, which are the events that take place during the day of the Lord, during the tribulational period, our Lord says these words, Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour when you do not think He will. Now, think about that. The Son of Man is coming in an hour you do not think He will. And yet, there are a myriad of signs leading up to that. All you got to do is read the Olivet Discourse. All you got to do is read Revelation 6 to 19, with all the seals, and trumpets, and bold judgments.

There are many signs leading up to the arrival of the Messiah. But no one will know the day, no one will know the hour that the Son of Man will return. There are two key phrases. One is thief, and the other is Son of Man. We'll see in 1 Thessalonians 5 that when the Lord comes, He will come like a thief in the night. That's at the day of the Lord, at the end. So we know that Matthew 24 is talking about the revelation of Christ in Revelation chapter 19, but it also uses the phrase Son of Man, which is very telling because the Son of Man is a phrase that depicts the coming of the Messiah in Daniel 7, verses 13 to 14, when Daniel had his vision about the coming of the Messiah descending as a Son of Man, one like a Son of Man descending on the clouds.

And that's exactly what's going to happen when Christ returns in Revelation 19. So we know it's talking about the end and not the rapture of the church. But if all these things are going to happen, and yet you will not know the day nor the hour, then you must understand that the rapture of the church before the tribulation is going to come at an hour that no one knows. It's a very surprising event. That's why people for 2,000 years have lived in anticipation. Christ says, I don't want you to know when I'm coming.

I just always want you to be ready for when I arrive. So not only is it a sure event, not only is it a surprising event, but it is a sudden event. 1 Corinthians 15, 52, it's going to happen in the twinkling of an eye. Not a blink of an eye. That's too slow. It's the twinkling of an eye. And not only is it a sudden event, it's a supernatural event, because 1 Corinthians 15, 31 to 32 tell us that we will all be changed. That which is mortal will become immortal. That which is perishable will become imperishable.

The dead in Christ will rise first. That's all supernatural. It's a resurrection. This is a supernatural event, a surprising event, a sure event, a sudden event. It's a sobering event, very sobering, because what's going to happen to all those people once you're gone? Well, in 2 Thessalonians 2, listen to the words of the Apostle Paul. 2 Thessalonians 2, verse number 8, then that lawless one who is the Antichrist will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of his mouth and bring an end by the appearance of his coming.

That is the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false. In order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. We've said over the years that the greatest place to be on Sunday morning is a church, Christ Community Church.

But it's also the worst place to be because now you're accountable for all that's been said. And if you don't give your life to Christ, having heard the truth, 2 Thessalonians 2 says that not only will you fall under the deception of the Antichrist, but God himself will send you a deluding influence so that you will believe what is false and you will not be saved. People say, well, you know, if the rapture of church happens, then I'll give my life to Christ. No, no, you won't. No, you won't. If you've heard the truth, you've been in church, you're going to believe what is false at the rapture of the church.

You'll buy into the lie because God will make sure you have a deluding influence. Now is the acceptable time. Today is a day of salvation. It's a very sobering event. It's a very sanctifying event. Titus 2, Paul says these words, Titus 2, verse 11, he says, for the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness, worldly desires, and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.

It's a sanctifying event. It's one that sets you apart. 1 John 3, 2 and 3, he who has his hope in him purifies himself even as he himself is pure. But number seven, it's a selective event. Not everybody goes. It's very selective. Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4, 13, but we do not want you to be unafformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

Only those in Jesus go to be with the Lord. Only those who believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah go home at the rapture of the church. Those who don't, won't. It's a very selective event. And the question comes, and I get it all the time, how do you know that the rapture of the church will take place before the tribulation? And so you have to answer that question because are you a pre-trib person or a post-trib person or a mid-trib person or an a-trib person? That is, there is no rapture at all.

How do you come to that conclusion? So last week, I told you that I would share with you one verse that would explain that. So if you got your Bible, turn to Revelation 3, verse number 10. Revelation 3, verse number 10. Now, please note this, that in Revelation 2 and 3, there are seven letters written to seven churches, all literal churches, all churches that existed in Asia Minor, all on the postal route that the mail carrier would go if he was to deliver mail. And there are seven letters from the Spirit of God written to seven churches.

Yet those churches are characteristic of all churches throughout all the ages. That's why the Bible says these words at the end of every letter, he who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, plural.

Not to the church, but to the churches. In other words, you need to listen to what the Spirit of God says to the churches.

And some churches are like the Church of Ephesus, they're cold churches. Some churches are like the Church of Smyrna, they're crushed with persecution. They're the crushed church. Some churches are like Pergamum, they are the compromising church, they compromise everything. Some are like the Church of Thyatira, they're the corrupt church. Some are like the church at Sardis, they're just a corpse, they're a dead church. Some churches are like Philadelphia, they're the committed church. Some are like Laodicea, they're the counterfeit church.

But somewhere in that spectrum is every church that's ever existed in the church age. So when the Spirit writes, he's writing to the church as. Not to one particular church, but to churches in general. So why there are seven literal churches, they are representative of all the churches that will ever exist in the church age. Very important. Oh, by the way, in Revelation 2 and 3, the word church is mentioned 19 times. In Revelation 6 and 19, the church is never mentioned, which will give you a little idea about what's taking place.

In Daniel's prophecy, in Daniel chapter 9 verses 24 to 27, the 70 weeks of Daniel prophecy, the church wasn't mentioned in the first 69 weeks.

And they're not mentioned in the 70th week either, because that takes place in Revelation 6 and 19. Daniel knew nothing about the church, had no idea even what the church was when he wrote about the coming of the Messiah in Daniel 9 verses 24 to 27. So you have to have your thinking caps on this morning. You got to think through this thing with me. This is not going to be easy for some of you, but think it through logically, understand it. Revelation 3 verse number 10 says these words. Because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth.

One verse, just one. Note, the definite article, the, before hour and testing. The hour of the testing. The definite article would tell you that it's a specific hour, a specific trial, a specific testing. So specific that it comes upon the whole world. That's important to understand. If you read the book of Zephaniah or the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 2, Zephaniah 1, you understand that there is an hour, there is a day, there is a time, there is a testing. It's called the day of the Lord. And so the spirit of God says, I will protect you, I will keep you out of this hour, this time of testing, this specifically oriented day, which will come upon the whole world.

Not just part of the world, but the whole world. And then he says these words. I will keep you from. The phrase is teraoak. If he was going to keep them and protect them in the hour of tribulation, he would have said teraoen. Or if he said, I'm going to protect you as you go through the tribulation, it would be terao dia. But because it's teraoak, I will completely take you out of that hour of testing, take you out of that hour of tribulation. It's going to come upon the whole world. Why? Because the hour of testing is specifically for those who dwell upon the earth.

That phrase used no less than ten times in the book of Revelation, 100% refers to the unbeliever. It's not about geographical location, it's about moral condition. They're earth dwellers. You and I, we're not earth dwellers. Our citizenship is in heaven. We're going to glory. We're anticipating our home above. See, that's where our home is. But the earth dweller, this is their home. This is their moral condition. All they can think about is life right here because they are earth dwellers. And the hour of testing is coming upon those, the whole world who dwells upon the earth.

Well, if the church is translated into glory, then all the believers are gone. The only ones left are those who dwell upon the earth to experience the hour of testing or tribulation that will come upon the whole world. It's very important. Notice it says in verse number 11, I am coming quickly.

Hold fast what you have so that no one will take your crown. Very important. Christ is coming quickly. To understand the book of Revelation and to determine whether someone is a pre-tribulationalist, that is the rapture happens before the tribulation, and not a mid-tribulationalist or a post-tribulationalist that happens afterwards, all you have to do is define who the 24 elders are in the book of Revelation. You say, what? Yeah, look at Revelation chapter 4.

Verse number 4. Revelation 4 is all about heaven. Revelation 5, all about heaven. This is so important. Why? Because there are 24 elders in heaven. Who are the 24 elders? They're either going to be tribulational saints or they're going to be angels or they're going to be seraphim or cherubim or they're going to be the church. Well, how do you know that? If you want to interpret Scripture with Scripture, then you have to ask yourself, where is the number 24 used in the Bible? Good question, right?

And if it's only used one place in the Bible, and it is, then that's going to help you understand what the number 24 means in the book of Revelation when it says 24 elders. And the only other time it's used is 1 Corinthians chapter 24, excuse me, 1 Chronicles chapter 24. And it's used to describe the priesthood in Israel and the 24 orders of priests in Israel. And that 24 order of priests in Israel is representation of all of Israel. So the only other time that number 24 is used is 1 Chronicles 24 and 25.

Because in 25 it talks about the 24 orders of musicians who represent all of Israel. So the number 24 is the number of representation. And nowhere are elders or angels called elders. Angels are ageless. Right? But the church has elders. And when the elders in the synagogue or the church are mentioned, they become the representation of that church. So the 24 elders now is the church. They can't be angels. Why? Revelation chapter 7 says in verse 11, Now how many is all? It's not a trick question. All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders.

So the elders are not the angels and the angels are not the elders. And the four living creatures and they fell on their face before the throne and worshiped God. So the 24 elders can't be angels because they're distinguished from all the angels. They're not the seraphim or the cherubim. They're distinguished from them as well. They can't be the tribulational saints because in Revelation chapter 7 verse number 13 it says, Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they and where have they come from?

And I said to him, My Lord, you know. And he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. If the elder knew who these were who came out of the tribulation, he wouldn't have asked the question. If he had been one of the tribulational saints, which they are, then he wouldn't have asked the question because he would have already known the answer. But he asked the question because he doesn't know the answer.

So 24 elders are not the tribulational saints. 24 elders are not angels, not cherubim and seraphim. They are the church. And every time the phrase 24 elders is mentioned in the Bible, they're always in heaven. Always in heaven. And note, they're clothed with white garments and they have golden crowns on their heads and they sit on thrones. Those three elements are only characteristic of the church. All you've got to do is read Revelation 2 and 3. For in Revelation chapter 3, verse number 21, it's the church who sits on thrones.

In Revelation chapter 3, verse number 5, it's the church, the overcomer, who has clothes in white garments. And in Revelation chapter 2, as well as in Revelation chapter 3, you have the church wearing crowns. Angels don't wear crowns. Only the church is given crowns. Only the church has the privilege of sitting on thrones. And only the church is clothed in white garments. See that? So who the 24 elders is is very important in terms of your interpretation of the church and where the church is in the book of Revelation because now the 24 elders are in heaven worshiping the Lord.

Oh, by the way, I didn't say this in the first service, but you're going to get the goodies on this one.

Look at Revelation chapter 5. Revelation chapter 5. It says this, verse 8. What's the new song? Listen carefully. It's the song of a soul made new. It's the same as the song of Moses in Exodus chapter 15. It's the same as the song of the lamb in Revelation chapter 15. It's called the new song, the song of a soul made new. So they sing the song. Worthy are you to take the book and to break its seals. For you were slain and purchased for God and your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

Verse 10, listen carefully. You have made them to be a kingdom and priest to our God and they will reign upon the earth. That's the song. Now note carefully the pronouns used in verse number 10. This is the only place I've seen where the new American standard got it wrong. It says you have made them to be a kingdom and priest to our God and they will reign upon the earth. How should it read? It should read this, you have made us to be a kingdom and priest to our God and we will reign upon the earth.

So you just can't change pronouns. Yes you can because there are 24 manuscripts on Revelation's new song. 23 of the 24 manuscripts say us and we. Not they and them. So manuscript evidence proves that it is the song of the church. Oh by the way if you go back to Revelation chapter 1 verse number 6 it says this and he has made us to be a kingdom priest to his God and father. That's the same thing they are singing in Revelation 5's new song. See that? And who sings it? The 24 elders. Who sings it? The church.

And the 24 elders are in heaven worshiping the king. When you come to Revelation chapter 6 the seals begin to break. The church is no longer mentioned at all between 6 and 19 because that happens upon the earth to those who dwell upon the earth. It's a specific hour, a specific time of testing. All that is so very, very important. So you want to know whether or not I'm a pre-tribulational rapturist? Yes I am. I think the biblical evidence is overwhelming. I don't think it's skeptical at all. I think that the biblical evidence is clearly presented in the scriptures because the day of Christ is the day of the believer.

The day of the Lord is for the unbeliever and the day of God is for the eternal state where God reigns supreme over the new heaven and the new earth. You have to take scripture literally because scripture defines scripture. 24 in Revelation 4 is defined by 1 Chronicles 24. The clothes they wear, the crowns they have, the place they sit is all defined by where the church will be wearing when they're in glory, the crowns on their head and the places they will sit. The song they sing is the same song they've always sung, the song of a soul made new.

We live in anticipation of all that. Years ago, I went to Sandy Cove Bible Conference with my parents and there was a speaker there. The speaker's name was Vance Havner. At the time, he was 84 years of age, very small, frail man. It took him a good five minutes to walk up the stairs to get to the stage to stand behind the pulpit. I think we sang two or three hymns before he got up there. But he wrote a book entitled Lord of What's Left. It had to deal with the rest of his life and the Lord was Lord over all that he had left.

Every moment that he had left was the Lord's. It's a great book. Vance Havner was a unique author. He says things in ways that most authors don't say. He has now long since been home with the Lord. But I want you to listen to what he wrote as we close out this morning. He says, All day I've been saying one day nearer home. He says, I'm only a pilgrim headed home. A stranger with no dwelling place down here. Sarah, my wife, she had died eight years earlier. Sarah used to sing this world is not my home.

I'm only passing through. She has arrived and now I will follow. People sometimes ask would you like to live your life over again? I reply no because I'm too near home. He said the loneliness of midnight, waking in strange places, staring at blank walls, subconsciously looking still for Sarah's letters that never come, the irresistible desire to whisper in the darkness, honey are you awake like I used to do? All is bearable because I'm not lengthening the distance between us. I'm shortening it as I draw nearer to where she is now.

I have thought and read much about our heavenly home. I am sure the magnificence of the city will be a grandeur that would overwhelm us in our present state of body and mind. Yet I note that our Lord said it simply in my father's house are many dwelling places. I go to prepare a place for you. I will return to get you to live in my home forever. There is an at-homeness about that that does not dazzle us. Instead we will feel right at home. We will not be strangers over there and I have a feeling that with all the glory of the heavenly city there will be an everlasting relaxation in the land of no more.

The land of no more sorrow. The land of no more pain. The land of no more sickness. The land of no more death. The land of no more sin. When Augustine's mother wanted to accompany him on a trip he thought she better not because of her age. She might die. To which she replied my life is hid with Christ and God. If God is my home how can I die away from home? Great answer. Making yourself at home in God now is a good getting ready for heaven. When we arrive at the house made ready in the heavens it will be glorious beyond our poor words to say.

But we'll feel right at home for that is exactly where we will be. We're going home. We're going home. When we die we don't say goodbye we say we'll see you soon at home. Because heaven is our home. And we live in anticipation of that glorious day. Where the dead in Christ will rise first and we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

That's why Paul says comfort one another with these words. You're going home. And those who have already died they're going to rise first.

And you'll be gathered together with them in the air and you'll finally be home. A place prepared specifically by God for you in his home where there are many divining places. I wonder if today you know for certain that when you die you go home to be with the Lord. So important to understand that. Because Jesus is coming again. He's going to come and take his church after that happens the day of the Lord will begin. There will be an hour of tribulation and distress which has not been known to man.

In which God will pour out his retribution upon this earth those who dwell upon the earth. And then one day he will come again. Until that time you need to be ready. And the question is are you ready? I would trust that you are. Let's pray together. Father we thank you for today and the opportunity you give us to be in your word. To understand that Lord the end is coming. We don't know when it's coming but it is coming. Simply because that's what you said. And we believe every word that you say. And our prayer Lord is that we would be ready when you arrive.

And that Lord when we go home what a glorious day that will be. Some of us have had loved ones already go into glory. They are already there. Their souls are. Their body will rise first.

We will gather together with them in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Then we will engage in that great marriage supper the lamb in glory in Revelation chapter 19. Then when that is over we will gather together with you and come out of heaven with you as you come back to earth to set up your kingdom to rule and reign as you promised. Lord it's great to know how it all ends. So good to know that we can have assurance. So good to know that we don't have to question what's going to happen.

We know. We're not worried about climate change. We're not worried about world wars. We know how it all is going to end. Because we know God the Lord the Christ our Messiah. Thank you for telling us that we might live in anticipation of our coming King. In Jesus name. Amen.