John's Vision of the Glorified Christ - 5

We are studying in the book of Revelation, and I anticipated from last Sunday night's message a good number of responses to the message, and I was correct about that. I had half a dozen or so emails and three or four, maybe five phone calls, and it's all good.

It's all good. Good in this respect. What I desire, I think what all the pastors desire, is that we would grow in such a way that we mirror the Bereans that are spoken of in Acts chapter 17 and verse 11. Paul says this about them, these, that is the Bereans, were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

And that's what we want. We want to come to a settled conviction about doctrine, about theology, that's rooted and grounded in a study of Scripture. I remember, it's 26, 27 years ago, sitting in the home of a couple, and they were middle-aged at the time, who had been in a dead church for 20, 25 years, and had come to understand the doctrines of grace, and it was as if they had been reborn. And they had been influenced by Dr. Richard Belcher, and they wanted to start a church. And Dr. Belcher was, I think, in my last year of seminary, he asked me if I would come alongside him and help him start this church. So it was a great opportunity for me, gave me the opportunity to preach quite frequently. But I remember being in this couple's house on a Wednesday night, and this woman had been recently converted through the influence of some of these other people.

And I recall her saying, I went to work and I told so-and-so what you said about this, that, or the other, and Dr. Belcher listened very carefully and responded very kindly to her. And he said, well, great, I'm happy about your excitement about what you're learning, he said, but let me caution you about something. He said, I want you to believe what you believe, not because I said it. I want you to believe it because you have discovered it for yourself in the word of God.

And that has stuck with me for a long time, and that's what I want for all of us. Sometimes we believe what we believe because we've read and we've heard different ones say different things. And we've perhaps not studied as thoroughly as we ought to, and our convictions are not as grounded in the word of God as they ought to be. And my background, I went to a school that was pluralistic, that is, there were men on the faculty that represented various views on theology and doctrine. There was a man who taught church history who was an Armenian. Across the hall was Igu Hodges, who was an elder in a Presbyterian church, and he taught systematic theology. They were friends, they were colleagues, but they did not see soteriology in the same way. And eschatology, I heard the premillennial view, I heard the postmillennial view, I heard the all-millennial view, taught, and that was good for me. Not that I, I wasn't, what shall I say, I was spared the trouble of inventing a straw man and knocking it down and say, well, I don't believe it because they believe this, that, and the other. Now, I was taught this is what an all-millennial position is and was forced to think it through and weigh that position in light of scripture. And same with a premillennial view and a postmillennial view.

And it was difficult because the syllabuses and the time frame did not allow sufficient time to say, okay, I've heard this, I've heard this, I've heard this, and I've heard that. Now, what position do I come to based on my study and what I've heard? And I've had to do a good bit of that on my own after seminary, but I'm not, I'm thankful for the school I went to because of the plurality that existed there. I'm a Baptist. I'm not a Presbyterian. I do not subscribe to pedobaptism.

I cannot, in good conscience, commit to it, believe it. But while I was there in school, during one of the scheduled lunches, they were having the senior pastor of the Presbyterian church come and give a presentation on pedobaptism. So I arranged my lunch to be there.

I wanted to hear a position articulated from a man who represents that position in that church. So I sat and listened. And it was good for me.

I think, okay, if this is the best presentation, this is from the senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, I was unconvinced. But I was glad I did that. So what I'm saying is, and without exception, those of you who responded to me, you were encouraging, you were affirming, you were asking good questions, you had good spirit, good attitude, and that's wonderful.

No heat, all riled up, none of that. So that's great. So let's continue to study and track with me as we pursue this. All that to say, that's not where I'm going tonight. We're going to continue in the book of Revelation, but the subject tonight is not eschatology and end times. We happened to deal with that last Sunday night because it had to be addressed.

It was right there in the first few verses of Revelation. Couldn't ignore it, couldn't skip it. So we're moving on, but we'll deal with that, pick this up at another time. So that all is a response to last Sunday night. So let me pray. And as I do, let me remind you of a couple of prayer requests. Duane Craig's father is in the ER and we need to pray for his needs.

Larry Cardwell's sister has passed away and there is a memorial service scheduled for her on Saturday in Virginia. So we need to pray for the family of Nancy Moore and Drew Guthrie as she continues her battle with cancer. And there's no doubt many other needs in our church. But let's look to the Lord right now in prayer. Father, how thankful we are tonight that there is a mercy seat that we are invited to, that preparation has been made for us to be able to be there to receive grace and mercy to help in time of need. How we thank you that the person and work of Jesus Christ has transformed that throne from a throne of judgment to a throne of grace for the children of God, to those who have received the forgiveness of sins and imputed righteousness that comes through Christ. Lord, we acknowledge our dependence upon you tonight and our need of you and we thank you that we can call upon you. You are the omnipotent, omniscient God of the universe and we are thankful that we don't have to inform you of anything. We're thankful that we're praying to a God whose arm is not short, that he cannot save. You're able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think.

And you know things that we do not know and you're able to speak into the lives of people and to provoke and to bring about change and lasting change, real change, not just physical improvement but spiritual development and spiritual life where there is death. So, Lord, we call upon you tonight to work in us both to will and to do according to your good pleasure and that you would strengthen us, Lord, in the inner man where it really matters and that you would continue to be kind and gracious and merciful to us as you have shown yourself to be. We pray that you draw near to Duane Craig's family and particularly the needs of his father and minister, Lord, to the needs that you know there. And for the family of Nancy Moore and Larry Cardwell's sister and his family and Larry's family, we ask you to enable them to trust you and to glorify you through her passing. We thank you for drawing near and helping Bob Caldwell this week and for the improvement with Art and Angela Pope. And, Lord, we ask you to help Drew Guthrie to trust you. And, Lord, we think of Carol and Mary Shaw tonight and we thank you for these dear ladies and their love for you and their testimony of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and their testimony of persevering faith in the midst of challenging circumstances.

Strengthen them both and help Mary as she continues to rehab with her shoulder. And, Lord, please intervene and bring a resolution to the problems that she's having with her van. Now, Lord, we look to you for help as we seek to understand your word and to profit from it tonight. Bless me as I preach. Bless all who are listening this evening to have hearts to receive. And may we receive the word of God with faith, believing that it might profit us much. We pray in Jesus' name.

Amen. Let me turn your attention, as I said, to Revelation chapter 1 and we'll pick up at verse 9. And I want to read through verse 20. Revelation 1 verse 9 through verse 20. I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet, saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.

And what you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me, and having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the seven lampstands, one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. He had in his right hand seven stars out of his mouth when a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.

But he laid his right hand on me, saying to me, Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. I am he who lives and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.

Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of death. Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches. May God bless the reading of this portion of his word.

And as we proceed tonight, we will not exhaust our study of these verses, but we'll begin to look at them under these headings. I've got seven things that I want to speak to. I want you to see, number one, what John says. Then I want you to see and notice with me where he was. And then why he was where he was. And then the instructions about what he was to do. Then we'll look at what he heard. Then we'll consider what he saw. And then lastly, number seven, we'll look at what he did in response to what he heard and saw.

So that's where we're going tonight under those seven headings. I want you to notice with me what he says in verse nine. He says, I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. I, John, your brother and companion. It's interesting that he makes no reference to his apostleship. This is John the Apostle. This is the beloved John who wrote the Gospel of John and the three epistles of first and second and third John.

He does not call himself an apostle. He calls himself brother and companion. And I think there's some help for us here in that as we seek to establish our identity in the world, if we are Christians, we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

Yes, there is a hierarchy in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has officers that he has gifted and we do not dismiss that. But even as an elder, I'm still a brother in Christ to Rob McDormand, who sits back there.

And we don't ever want to dismiss that or ignore that. And John is saying to these that he's writing to, he calls himself their brother and companion. Notice further, I, John, and by the way, I have not found anybody who disputes the authorship of John here to the book of the Revelation. Four times in the book, he calls himself John, I, John, and John the Apostle.

So, there's no dispute over that. I, John, both your brother and companion, and then this triad in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. All three of these things are of Jesus Christ. Tribulation and kingdom and patience. This threefold identification is tied to John's shared union with those he's writing to in Jesus Christ. The Church is presented here to be in tribulation.

That's what's going on as John is writing this. The Church is being persecuted. Tribulation has come upon the Church. That is what is happening to the Church and in the churches. And I want to remind you that a good part of the Church of Jesus Christ is in the same place. Suffering persecution in tribulation.

Just because the heat hasn't been turned up here doesn't mean that that's the way it is across the world. We do not want to forget about the persecuted Church. They're being persecuted for their stand for Jesus Christ. People are losing their lives for their testimony of faith in Jesus Christ. Tribulation has come upon the Church. It reminds me of Acts chapter 14 verse 22 that says this, We must, we must, through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.

We must. Tribulation, persecution, even in our day, in our circumstance, there is a growing hostility toward those of us who call ourselves Christians. There is less and less tolerance for us. I do not think the day is too far into the future where it will be a hate crime to stand in this pulpit and call what the Bible calls sin, sin in our day. In fact, there are places that people have gone to jail for calling sin, sin, and taking a stand for righteousness.

And I think we are going to see an increase of that. But notice again what he says. This is his threefold identification with these he's writing to. He calls them, he says, I, John, both your brother and companion, this is a shared thing in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. Patience of Jesus Christ. I think what he's saying there is we tie these thoughts together that it's necessary that we be partakers of the patience of Jesus Christ.

Why? For it is only in the power of that patience that we can bear the tribulation and the persecution that is upon us and is going to come upon us and do that unto the end. That's what John says in these opening remarks in verse 9. Consider with me where he was. Where was John? He says, I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was on the island that is called Patmos.

We'll stop there. John was on the island that is called Patmos. This is an island, a small, very small island in the Aegean Sea. I'm told that it was six miles long and one mile wide.

That's not a very big island. And it was not far from the coast of Asia Minor. That's where John was as he received this revelation and was writing what he saw and heard. Why was he there is the next question. Why was John on the island called Patmos?

And there are three possibilities and let me speak to you about them. Possibility number one, that he was there on the island of Patmos because he was sent there to preach the word of God and bear a witness or a testimony for Jesus Christ. He says, I was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. So one plausible answer to the question of why he was there is he was there in obedience to preach the word of God and to bear witness and bear testimony for Jesus Christ.

Second possibility, he could be saying that he was there for the very purpose of receiving the word of God as contained here in the book of the revelation. Or number three, he was on the island of Patmos because he was exiled there for the sake of the word of God which he had preached and for the testimony of Jesus Christ which he bore. And the vast majority of commentators believe that that is the reason he was on the island of Patmos. He was exiled there. He was sent there to be silenced. He was sent there to minimize his influence.

John was an aged man at this time in his life. And the enemies of Christ and the enemies of the church, they had a purpose. What was that purpose? To forever silence this man.

Let's exile him to the island of Patmos. But we learn something here about God's sovereign purposes, don't we? Because the enemies of Christ and the church, despite their purpose, their purpose was overridden by God's purpose. God had a purpose in him being on the island of Patmos. You see, the powers of government had John the apostle there to forever silence him. But the Lord used that remote place to communicate a vision to John that would be forever preserved for us. Here we are tonight considering the revelation that God gave to John there on the island of Patmos. So, when we see forces of darkness succeeding, or it appeared to be succeeding, let's not lose sight that there's a God who is ordering all things after the counsel of his own will. God is accomplishing things that we may not see for his own eternal honor and glory and purpose. And we see that here.

It's very encouraging. So, quickly, we've seen what John says. We've seen where he was. We've considered the reasons why he was where he was.

Let's think now about what he was to do. There he is on the island of Patmos, and what purpose does God have for him there? Notice verse 4, there is John identifying himself again. John, to the seven churches which are in Asia. So, John is God's mouthpiece to communicate to churches, seven churches in particular, which are in Asia. Notice verse 11.

Well, verse 10, John says, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice of a trumpet saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. And here's what he's to do. What you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia.

And those seven churches there are listed. That's what he's to do. And then that commission is reiterated again in verse 19.

Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. That was John's assignment. That's why he was on the island of Patmos. That's what God wanted him to do. And John was obedient to God's command upon his life. That's what he was to do, and we have no reason to think that he did not do what God required of him to do. Now, let's think about what he heard.

What he heard. He says, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. It's interesting that John was doing what he customarily did on the Lord's day, despite the fact that he was exiled on the island of Patmos. It was the Lord's day. He was in the Spirit. He was in fellowship with God.

He had prepared his heart. He was worshiping God as God would require of him to do, and what God would require of us to do. Sounds to me like there's some effort that must be undertaken on the part of the worshiper to prepare himself for the Lord's day. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day.

We know what that looks like. We've come to the Lord's day and not prepared our hearts for the Lord's day. We've gone to bed late Saturday night. We had things going through our mind that were not conducive to worship on the Lord's day.

No, we need to discipline our life and be intentional about preparing our hearts for the Lord's day, to be in the Spirit on the Lord's day, because we're coming to worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth. So John says, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. And then he says, and I heard, or considering what he heard. I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet saying.

Now that's interesting. A loud voice as of a trumpet. We don't often associate, no I don't associate the sound of a trumpet with a voice, but that's what John says. I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet. Now what I associate with a trumpet is loudness. Maybe that's what he means, that aspect of a trumpet. When we have orchestra here and there's a trumpet player here, you hear that trumpet player. You hear that trumpet sound.

It's got some volume to it. And perhaps that's what he is referring to. I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega. That is, I am the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

And what you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches. That's what he heard there in verse 10. And then in verse 15, in the midst of what he saw, he heard something else.

He says, he's describing this vision of the glorified Christ. His feet were like fine brass as if refined in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters. His voice as the sound of many waters. And as I thought about that phrase, the sound of many waters, I suppose a number of you listening to me tonight have been to Niagara Falls. And there's a place where you can go and visit the falls. There is a railing. It's not very long.

Maybe not any longer than this podium, this pulpit. And you can stand there and the water is coming over the falls and you're as close to the falls, the water coming over the falls as that first pew. And there is the loudness of water going over the falls when he says, a voice as the sound of many waters.

That communicates to me in my mind's eye when I go back and I'm standing there at Niagara Falls and that water is going over there, I am struck with awe of power. That's what he heard. What did he see? You see, what he heard was meant to arrest his attention. Because it says there, I was in the Spirit of the Lord's day and I heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet saying. So he heard this voice behind him and if you hear a loud voice behind you, what do you do?

Well, you turn and face the voice. So it got his attention. And as he turned in the direction of the voice, he saw. And what did he see?

Because what he saw he was to write in a book. Verse 12 says, then I turned, I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the seven lampstands, one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool as white as snow and his eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass as if refined in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters. He had in his right hand seven stars out of his mouth when a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

Let's consider what he saw. And what I'd like to do as we do that is consider an Old Testament passage because of the stark similarity between what we find in Daniel chapter 7 and what we find here in Revelation chapter 1. So turn with me to Daniel chapter 7. Daniel chapter 7. And in my Bible, ahead of verse 9, is this heading, vision of the ancient of days. I watched till thrones were put in place and the ancient of days was seated.

His garment was white as snow and the hair of his head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its will a burning fire, a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him. A thousand thousands ministered to him. Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

The court was seated and the books were opened. I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking. I watched till the beast was slain and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.

As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. I was watching in the night visions and behold one like the son of man coming with clouds of heaven. He came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away in his kingdom, the one which shall not be destroyed.

Now, there is a lot there and I've only turned here to make a couple of points. Back to Revelation chapter 1, this is John and this description that he is given in this vision of the glorified Christ. He says, in the midst of the seven lampstands, and let me speak to you about that so we're not wondering what are the seven lampstands, we have the explanation of that in verse 20. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands.

Here's the code, here's the explanation. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches. So, the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Now, he says, and in the midst of the seven lampstands, here is one like the Son of Man. You see that in verse 13? One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow.

Let's stop there. The whiteness of the hair refers to the age of the Ancient of Days. That's what we saw in Daniel chapter 9.

You remember? I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated, his garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head was like pure wool. It's a symbol of deity. In the Revelation passage, the whiteness of the hair pictures the glorified Savior in His divine nature as very God. I saw, John says there in Revelation 1, I saw one like the Son of Man. That's a title that Jesus spoke when He was on the earth concerning Himself. He was the Son of Man.

It's to picture His humanity. But what John sees here is not just the humanity of Christ, he sees the glorified humanity of Christ. You see, in Daniel, it's the hair of the Ancient of Days, not of the one like unto the Son of Man, which John is picturing here in Revelation chapter 1 and verse 13. In Daniel, the Ancient of Days and the Son, the one like the Son are two distinct persons.

Let me show that to you again. Daniel 7 verse 9, I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated. Who is the Ancient of Days in Daniel chapter 7?

It is God Himself. Down to verse 13, I was watching in the night vision and behold one like the Son of Man coming with clouds of heaven, He came to the Ancient of Days. Two distinct persons in Daniel's prophecy here. The one coming with the clouds of heaven, the one like the Son of Man, He comes to the Ancient of Days. In Revelation chapter 1, the Ancient of Days is the Lord Jesus Christ.

He's one and the same person. The glorified Christ is set before us as the mighty King and Judge. The Ancient of Days in Daniel 7, He is seated on a throne. His garment is white as snow. The hair of His head was like pure wool.

His throne was a fiery flame. That description is carried over to Revelation chapter 1 and it is applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. So here is clear evidence and scriptural argumentation that Jesus is God. It speaks of His deity.

Wonderful to see that. We sing from time to time this hymn by Walter Chalmers Smith. Immortal, invisible, God only wise. In light, inaccessible, hid from our eyes. Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days. Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light. No wanting nor wasting, Thou rulest in might. Thy justice like mountains high soaring above. Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light. Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight. All praise we would render, O help us to see. Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee. In John's description here of the glorified Christ, notice some of the language. His eyes are like flames of fire, he says. Verse 14, we've already considered His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, which was spoken of the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7. His eyes like a flame of fire.

What's being pictured there for us? Well, it's an expression of holiness and of righteous indignation to judge. Eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass as if refined in a furnace. In other words, He will tread down the powers of darkness. His voice like thunder.

His voice as the sound of minty waters. And it's speaking to us of the mighty King who is coming to execute judgment in righteousness. He says in verse 16, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.

Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword. Now, is that literal? Is that a literal sword?

This is a vision. It's symbolic. The sword in Scripture is symbolic of authority, of authority and power to judge. And it proceeds out of Christ's mouth. It reminds me of what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24 right before He gives the Great Commission. All authority has been given unto Me on heaven and on earth.

All authority. And the glorified Savior here appears to John as the great and mighty King who is coming to judge His church and the world. Now there is an awful lot more to unpack here and I don't have the time to do that tonight and that is fine. Because, Lord willing, next Sunday evening we can return to this. And it is a portion of Scripture that lends itself quite nicely for preparation for the Lord's table service. So, again, there is more here to unpack but let us consider what John did in response to what he heard and what he saw.

Notice verse 17. John says, And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. Can you think of any other time in John's life where he had a similar experience? What is John seeing here in Revelation 1? He is seeing Christ in His glory. You remember the monotransfiguration when he was there with Peter and James? And what was their response when the curtain was just pulled back a little bit and they caught just a glimpse of the Shekinah glory of Christ? They did the same thing that John did here.

They fell to the ground as if they were dead men. And I think there is a combination here of fear that comes over you. Why do I say that? Well, because of what Christ says, the glorified Christ says to John and what He does to him. He says, When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead, but he laid his right hand on me saying to me, Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid.

So fear came over John. But I think also that's the posture of humility. That's the posture of worship.

That should be our posture. That should be our response when we come into the presence of the majestic God, the God of the Bible, as He set before us in His exalted majesty. Not flippancy, not casualness, but reverence and fear and worship. We sing this hymn here at the church, Lord, we bow before your glory.

That's what John does here in verse 17. Lord, we bow before your glory, manifested in your Son, radiant with your perfect beauty. He is heaven's beloved one.

Saving grace has given us vision, opened eyes that once were blind. He on whom we brought derision now delights our hearts and mind. Such a Savior, now exalted, well deserves our heartfelt praise.

Dying, He has death defeated. Risen, He reigns for endless days. Now in heaven, interceding, Jesus, friend of sinners, prays for the weakest. Daily pleading, all sufficient, is His grace. Oh, that we might know you better, Jesus Christ, our living Lord. Let our love grow daily greater as we hear your holy Word.

There you have revealed your glory. There we marvel at your grace. Feed our souls and make us like you till we see you face to face. That's a wonderful prayer expressed in Him. And may that be our heart's desire. It is our desire to know the God of the Bible as He has revealed Himself. And I'm confident that as we do, our response to Him will be what we see of those who do encounter Him in the Scriptures. As we see John.

A reverence, a fear, worship, adoration. We sense our smallness in the presence of such majesty and splendor. And that is good for us. Let us pray. Father, we thank you tonight for the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for Him who lives and was dead, and behold, He lives forevermore.

And He has the keys of Hades and of death. Help us to glorify you in our lives in response to what we've heard tonight and in the way in which we live our lives this week. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. And amen.