So between my first year or no, sorry, between my second year and my third year at Bible College, I was part of a quartet and we toured through Ontario and Quebec and this was going to be my first time meeting Carla's father. So I wanted to set a good impression and as is right, I was highly intimidated at the thought of meeting her dad. And any good dad knows that that's a good thing. And so now though, it's funny because he's a short bald man with glasses.
So nothing to be that intimidated by. But anyways, I got there and and I I remember wanting to set a good tone. I want to get off on the right foot. I wanted to establish the relationship well from the get-go because that matters. I I I think I feel like I accomplished that. I don't know. I You could ask her dad the next time he visits. But here we have in the first eight verses a tone that is set and and we get off on the right foot definitely and it's very clearly established that this is going to be an important portion of scripture to inform how we read the rest of this letter.
And so it's it's an an important and glorious section of scripture. Revelation 1:es 1 to8. And so let me read these verses for us. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John, to the seven churches that are in Asia. Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are before his throne. And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so, amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
What an amazing text of scripture. We could have probably eight sermons from the eight verses that are here, but we'll try to cover it in one. What is it that we can learn from these opening comments here in this book? I would say the first thing is this, that this is the word of God. Notice what it says here as it begins. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Those are the first five words, the revelation of Jesus Christ. We don't read here that this is the record of that account, but rather that this is the revelation that Jesus gave this vision to John.
But yet it is a record because the verse goes on to say which God gave him to show his servants the things which must soon take place. John got the revelation, recorded it to show his servants. And certainly the the primary audience originally was the seven churches. We read that in verse four, the seven churches in Asia. But then to all who would ever read this, this was a revelation to John. That was the event. And then John recorded the event that we might hear it. And you might say, "Well, duh.
That's what it says. Of course, that's true." It's important that we understand that that's what's happening here and that we can trust what we have in our hands because there is a move of fit a foot today to try to discredit the word of God as being truthful and accurate by dangerous teachers. There's a dangerous teacher named Andy Stanley who would have you believe that we cannot trust the Bible, that it's just a man's record of events, but we can trust the events themselves, but we can't trust the record of the events, which is utter hogwash.
Friends, the record of these events is fully inspired by God, given to men. The the the 40 or so men that recorded the writings here, they're merely the penmen through whom God was giving the truth. This is the inspired word of God without error and without failing. Look at what it says here in verse one. He made it known. He who is the he here? Jesus made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.
This is the trustworthy word of God. We have both here the event, the the revealing of these things to John and the recording of the event for us to hear today. And we can trust it. We can trust this word. Take your Bible if you will. Go with me to second Peter chapter 1. In second Peter chapter 1, listen to what we read here starting in verse 16. Second Peter 1 starting at verse 16.
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from the father, the voice was born to him by the majestic glory. This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. We ourselves heard this very voice born from heaven. For we were with them on the holy mountain. What's he talking about here? Peter, James, and John were with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. Matthew chapter 17.
They were there. They saw him transfigured. They saw his glory. They heard the voice of the father saying, "This is my beloved son." They were eyewitnesses of that. But then look what he says in verse 19. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed. Some translations will say, "More sure." To which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all that no prophecy of scripture comes from someone's own interpretation.
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. The what we hold in our hands, the word of God, the scriptures, is more sure even than Peter's eyewitness testimony because it was given directly by God. Here we have back in Revelation chapter 1, the revelation of Jesus Christ given to John to spread to his servants to record and make known for all to read and for all time.
At the very end of Revelation in 22, we'll get to this months down the road, but listen what we read here in verses 18 and 19. Some of the last words in scripture. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the Holy Spirit or me in the holy city which are described in this book.
That's serious. We're not to tamper with the word of God because God gave it. This is the the God breathed word of the living God that can be trusted and we are not to tamper with it. It is the last testament. There's no New Testament that came after this. There's no new prophet that arose to gave any new scripture. No, no. This is the word of God never to be tampered with. And we can trust it. Second Peter 1 says, "Everything that we need for life and godliness has been given to us.
We have it here in the word of God. It is fully reliable. It is fully trustworthy. What you hold in your hands is the inherent, infallible, sufficient word of God. The revelation of Jesus Christ is included in that. The the final revelation here, this book that we're going to study this year is from the Lord Jesus, given to John, which is given to the seven churches. And then by extension to all of us today and we can trust it.
And so that's a great way to establish the tone of this letter. And so with that in mind, if this is the word of God given by by by the Lord that we can trust, we ought to never be ashamed of the word of God. Be not ashamed of his word. Bless you. Notice that the first section here actually before we get into that part of the the the importance of not being ashamed of it, let me just give a little note here. Notice how this is bookended for us in verse one and verse three.
Notice it says the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show his servants the things which must soon take place. And then in the end of verse three, it says, "For the time is near." So it's bookended by this time frame near soon. What does that mean? What does it mean that that these things are to happen soon? Well, I'll take you back to the last chapter of the book, Revelation 22:20. Here it says, "He who testifies to these things says surely I am coming soon."
Jesus is saying this. Surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. He is coming soon. This was given to John 2,000 years later. Has he returned? 2,000 years. He has not yet come. But yet he said he's coming soon. What does that mean? Could it be that soon is different to God than it is to us? I would say yes, it is. We all, as 2 Timothy 4:8, all of us who love the Lord, who were in Christ, are longing for his appearing.
But here we are waiting and waiting and waiting. And how how many generations have said, "Wow, based on all the events going on, it's got to be today. It's got to be within my lifetime. How many of you have said that? Surely it's going to happen in my lifetime. Could. It might not. Have you ever been a road on a road trip with kids? You moms and dads, we not almost every year. Eventually, at some point, we travel out to Manitoba.
13 hours or so it takes us to get there. And we often do it in one shot. And when our kids were at a certain age, they would say the the vintage question, "Are we there yet?" And we would often say, especially as we were getting closer, we would say, "Soon. We're going to be there soon." In comparison to 13 hours, it is soon. And we were about an hour and a half away. Soon. But to a seven-year-old, soon means the next minute or two. An hour and a half later, they thought, "What is going on?
I thought you said it was soon. It is soon, but my soon and your soon are different. God's soon and our soon are clearly different. Turn with me, if you will, to second Peter chapter 3 in second Peter 3. Listen to these words. I'll pick it up in verse one. This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved.
In both of them, I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles. Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires, they will say, "Where is the promise of his coming?" For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.
For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water, and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was delued with water and perished. But by the same word, the heavens and the earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years. A thousand years as one day.
Soon to the Lord will be different than soon to us. But the Lord one day is as a thousand years. And so the scoffers may mock, but soon enough he will come. The imminent return of the Lord is real. We must be ready. May never be that we would be like the five virgins that we read about in Matthew chapter 25 in those first 13 verses. If you remember that account there, you had 10 virgins, five of whom took sufficient oil to trim their lamps, but five of them slothfully did not take sufficient oil.
And when the bridegroom came, their lamps were out of oil and they were unprepared. When the bridegroom came, may it never be that that is us. May it be that we are ready for his return. For it is soon. It is imminent. It is the time is near. But notice that with between those two statements, we have something significant here. John John here recording this for us. John, the servant John bore witness, it says in verse two, to the word of God.
Now certainly we read in first John that John testified to the fact that he had he had been with Jesus. He was one of the disciples. He had seen him. He touched him. He heard him. He bore witness to him. But now he's also going to bear witness to this revelation to us. He's going to bear witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. And then he says this, "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it."
Now, when scripture was given for these churches, for example, the seven churches that we're going to get to, they would have had the this letter read aloud in their presence. They didn't have book binding in that time for everyone to have a copy on their own. And so, it would be read aloud John here says, "Blessed are blessed is the one who reads aloud the word of this prophecy." Now, why was it that he was on Patmos? Well, look at verse 9. We're not going to steal too much from next Sunday, but it says this.
He was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. It was because he testified to Jesus and read the word of God that he was banished. If you think about this, most of his friends were martyed. Why? Because they out loud testified to Jesus Christ. And for that they gave up their very lives. And here he is saying, "You are blessed. If you read aloud the words of this prophecy, you and you hear it and you keep it."
He's banished because he read aloud about Jesus Christ. Because he testified to Jesus Christ. His friends were killed because they testified to Jesus Christ. And yet here he is still saying, "I am not ashamed of the gospel." You ought to read it out loud as I read it out loud. If that sounds familiar to you, it should because Paul had that same kind of heart. Listen. We read in Romans chapter 1. Romans 1 verse 16, we read this.
Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." In his letter, Paul's letters to Timothy, he said this in 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 12. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I'm convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, nor was John.
In fact, earlier in the service, our friend Richard read from Acts chapter 5. I'll have you go back there. In Acts chapter 5, we read an incredible account of the apostles, John being part of this group. I want to pick it up for you in verse 17. Listen to this. But the high priest rose up and all who were with them, that is the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy, they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.
But during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, "Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life." And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. So they're in prison. John being part of this group, they're freed from prison and they're the reason they're in there is because they were preaching and okay, now go over here and start preaching. So they start preaching again. Pick it up for you in verse 27. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council.
And the high priest questioned them, saying, "We strictly charged you not to teach in this name. Yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men." The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things.
And so is the Holy Spirit who's God whom God has given to those who obey him. So here they are publicly saying we must obey God even over your edicts. And drop down to verse 38. So in the present case I tell you keep away from these men. This is from Galiel giving this instruction to them. Keep away from these men and let them alone. For if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail. But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.
You might even be found opposing God. So they took his advice and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them. You hear that? They beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go and they left and a coward in a corner. Is that what it says? And they then they left the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
And every day in the temple and from house to house they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. Not ashamed of our God. Not ashamed to testify to the truth of who Christ is. Not ashamed of the word of God. And here John inspired by the spirit says, "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, who does not shrink back, but out loud says, "This is the word of God and testifies to the truth of Jesus Christ."
And blessed are those who hear it and who keep it, who obey it. The seven churches are going to hear these instructions given to them in chapters two and three. They need not only hear it, but they must also obey it. So it is for you and I friends. We must be those who hear and obey the word of God and testify to its truth. And it's a great joy to do that. This is the the holy scriptures given to us from our God. Be not ashamed of his word.
Why? Because there is an eternality to the word. If you go to verses 4 through8 here, you have John saying that the the original audience is those seven churches in Asia. And after a bit of a almost like a Pauline kind of greeting, grace to you and peace, he then gives a statement that's bookended in verses four and eight. It bookends the the section who is and who was and who is to come. We see that same phrase in verse eight. Who is and who was and who is to come. That book ends this section.
So, I want you to put a pin in that. We're gonna we're going to circle back to what that phrase means later. But I want to look at what's sandwiched in between there. In between there, we have this statement who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are before the throne. Some might say, what's that mean? What's the seven spirits? I will contend to you that this is a reference to the Holy Spirit. You might say, "Well, the Holy Spirit's not seven." Holy Spirit is one.
You're right. What does the number seven mean? Seven is the number of completion. The number of perfection. Next week, we're going to see 7777 in this next section speaking to the the completion, the perfection of our God. But here we're reading in the Holy Spirit. And I'd invite you to turn with me to Isaiah 11 and verse two. I want to read this verse to you and I'm going to count the descriptions of the spirit of God that are listed here.
And the spirit of the Lord rested upon him. The spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. A sevenfold description of the Holy Spirit, this perfect one. And and then so that would be my understanding of of what this means here when it speaks of the seven spirits because then what we read is in verse four this is grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come the father from the seven spirits before his throne the holy spirit and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness that is the triune God.
So while this is a revelation of Jesus Christ, the triune God is involved here in giving this revelation to his people. From Jesus Christ, verse 5 says, "The faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead." What does that mean? That he is the firstborn from the dead because chronologically there were those who were raised from the dead before Jesus. If you look at earthly chronological time frame, so what does it mean that he is the firstborn?
That is to say, he is preeminent. Every resurrection is based on the resurrection of Christ. Because remember, the plan of salvation was not a plan hatched last minute. It was in place before the foundation of the world that Jesus would die and rise again victoriously. And so every resurrection is based on the resurrection of Christ. In fact, John chap 11. By the way, you might be wondering why are we going to so much scripture. You know why?
Because I want you to see and this is going to be the entire series. I want you to see how what we have here in Revelation wasn't brand new. That it was all the way through the scripture and here it's being put together for us in Revelation. But this is all part of what God has been saying from the beginning. John chapter 11, Jesus said this to Martha in verse 25. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." And then he asks her that key question. Do you believe this? The question that you need to ask ask and answer as well. Do you believe this? Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life." In Acts chapter 26, as Paul is recounting his conversion in verses 22 and 23, he says this, "To this day I have had help that comes from God."
And so I stand here testifying both to small and to great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass that Christ that the Christ must suffer and that by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles. He is the preeminent one. His resurrection is the preeminent resurrection upon which all resurrection comes. And we read here in Revelation, he's the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of kings on the earth. Amen.
And amen. He's the king of all kings. Listen to Psalm 89 verse 27. Here's what we read there. Psalm 89 verse 27. And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. He is the king of all kings.
I remember listening to an interview that Chris Tomlin did right after the funeral of Charlie Kirk. And if if any of you watch that funeral, it began by Chris Tomlin leading two songs. He led How great Is our God and then he led his song Holy Forever. And he was talking about how profound it was to do that because in front of him were the world's greatest powers sitting in a row right in front of him.
And when he sang the the song Holy Forever, he was singing with these high powers right in front of him. He sang these lyrics. Your name is the highest. Your name is the greatest. Your name stands above them all. All thrones and dominions, all powers and positions, your name stands above them all with all of those powers and positions right in front of them. And God's name does stand above them all. Here in Revelation, we have that testimony.
He's the firstborn of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. And then look what it says. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. Let me repeat it for those in the back in case you didn't hear that. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.
If you remember nothing else about the book of Revelation, remember this. He loves his people and he freed them from their sin by his blood. But at the testimony we read in first Peter chapter 2 there it says this. Christ also suffered for you leaving you an example that so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return.
When he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds, you have been healed. What a savior. What a God. I am a wretched, miserable sinner. And yet Christ so loved me that he gave his life. He gave his his blood was shed to free me from my sin.
What love, what grace, what mercy. This is our savior. And then it goes on as if that's not enough. Then it goes on in verse 6 of Revelation to say this. And made us a kingdom, priests to his God and father. This is quite astonishing. Back in 1 Peter 2, it says this. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light.
He made us a royal priesthood, a kingdom. He established that. He adopted us into his family. And we are made new and right because of his blood. And here the Lord is reminding us of the centrality of the work of Christ and the wonder and the joy that that ought to bring to us. To him is all glory and all dominion. If depending what translation you have, the the word dominion might be translated power or might. He's the almighty one, the all powerful one, the one who is worthy of all glory and who alone is the glorious one.
He is coming in the clouds. Do you see that there? Verse 7. Behold, he is coming with the clouds. That does not mean he's going to be coming eating Philadelphia cream cheese on a cloud. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you're not old enough. No. No, that's not what's happening here. What does this mean? That he's coming on the clouds. Go with me to the book of Daniel chapter 7. Daniel 7:es 13 and 14.
What an incredible couple verses here. If you're having trouble finding Daniel, find Ezekiel. And it's right after Ezekiel. Get to Daniel. And this is what it says in verses 13 and 14 of Daniel 7. I saw in the night visions and behold with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man. And he came to the ancient of days and was presented before him.
And 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 and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. This is the kingdom of our God. But he's coming with the clouds. It says, "And a little more boots on the ground practicality." Go with me to Acts chapter 1. If you remember in Acts 1, the Lord Jesus gives a commission to them.
He says that you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth. He gives him this commission to go and spread the gospel. And then he ascends. He ascends right in front of them. And I want to pick it up for you in verse 9 of Acts 1. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven, as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?
This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." He was taken up in a cloud. He'll return in a cloud. The promise will be fulfilled. And Revelation is speaking to that. He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him. So friends, do not believe those who would tell you that they're Jesus who's cometly. And you might say, well, who would do that? There's been many. There have been many, whether it's Jim Jones, David Caresh, others have come in secret.
The people just don't know I'm here yet. No, no. When he returns, every eye will see him. There will be no doubt that the Lord has returned. So it says every eye will see him even those who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth will wail or some translations might say mourn on account of him. What does that mean even those who pierced him? He hasn't returned yet. Revelation 22 said even I'm coming soon. He hasn't come soon. Every eye will see him. Every eye has not yet seen him.
So what does this mean? Because those who pierced him, those who physically jammed the spear through his side, they're dead. So, what does this mean? Well, there's a couple different schools of thought. Philippians 2, of course, we read that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Could it be that at his coming those who are on earth and those who are even under the earth in hell? Will see is coming and will wail on account what they did perhaps.
But I would contend with you and feel free if you have any debate with me on this, you can see Pastor Bryce later. I would contend to you that there isn't a clear, it seems to me a clear illusion to Zechariah 12 here. So I want to read to you Zechariah 12:10. Here's what it says. And I will pour out on the house of David, who? The house of David. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him.
As one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. It seems to be very closely tied to what we read here in Revelation 1. Who is it that was responsible for the crucifixion of our Lord? It was the Jews. We know that. Look at what we read in Acts chapter 2. Specifically the Jewish elite, the Jewish phariseaical leaders. In Revelation 20 or pardon me, in Acts chapter 2, starting at verse 22 says this, "Men of Israel, hear these words."
Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst. As you yourselves know, this Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and fornowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. I would contend and I think Revelation my my contention is Revelation is going to bear this out and show this out. But on that day, there will be a mourning in Israel, a mourning that leads to repentance.
As second Corinthians speaks about, they'll be grieved into repenting. And I will contend that Revelation will show a mass repentance of the people of Israel as they understand Jesus to be the Messiah. And not only not only the Jews but all tribes of the earth from every tribe, tongue and nation. Even so, amen. It says, and then he says, I am the alpha and the omega. And then there's that book end who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty, the alpha, the omega, the first letter of the Greek alphabet and the last letter of the Greek alphabet, the beginning to end.
Notice what it says. The book end is who is present day, who was past and who is to come. That is to say, eternal without end. He is the almighty one. He is the God of glory. And what is what do we read in first Peter chapter 2? The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever. Our Lord endures forever and his word endures forever. This God has no end.
And it is this God who is about to give us the revelation of how it will unfold. It is one we can trust. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The word of God is trustworthy. We can trust what we're going to read as we study through this. We ought not be ashamed of this word. We ought to read it aloud sometimes. Is it not true? Without saying it, we can feel a bit of maybe maybe wouldn't we wouldn't call it ashamed, but we can feel a little almost embarrassed to read Revelation because I just don't understand what's in here.
No, no, read it. This is from Revelation. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Read it aloud. Even if you don't understand all of it, trust that God who gave it is working all things in according with his plan. We can trust him. Be not ashamed of his word because it's an eternal word. It's fully trustworthy and it is coming. It is coming from the one who loves us and freed us by his own blood. And so why would we be ashamed of this?
We should herald this. This is coming from my savior, my God, who gave it to me to make known to our world who he is and what he has done and what is coming still. And so I'd invite you as we close to just listen to these words. I'm going to close with a verse and the team's going to lead us in a song. But listen to this from Psalm 138. I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and for your faithfulness.
For you have exalted above all things your name and your word. And that is what he has done and that is what we will continue in as we press on in this series. To God be the glory. So, Father, I pray that you would remind us of who you are, your eternal nature, your incredible grace and mercy and your love found and seen in the blood of Jesus spilled in our place and on our behalf.
We thank you for the trustworthy word of God that we hold in our hands. May we never shrink back from declaring it but with joy in our hearts. May we herald this great savior, this great God to those around us. And may you be exalted among us. You are so good and so faithful. Thank you for revealing these things to your servant John and to us today too. And may we be found faithful. These things we pray in Jesus name. Amen.
Transcribed automatically from YouTube captions, so names and words may be misheard.
