1 00:00:01,266 --> 00:00:04,700 Thank you, music ministers minus 2 00:00:04,700 --> 00:00:06,200 the base mechanic. 3 00:00:06,733 --> 00:00:09,866 Pray for dad, speedy recovery, 4 00:00:09,866 --> 00:00:13,400 uh, the stomach virus has him. 5 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,633 First Timothy 3.16. 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,399 If you would open your Bibles, or you can look upon the screen. 7 00:00:21,966 --> 00:00:24,966 Today, we celebrate one of the two great 8 00:00:24,966 --> 00:00:28,100 annual observances 9 00:00:28,100 --> 00:00:29,766 of the Christian faith. 10 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,133 Easter and Christmas. 11 00:00:33,566 --> 00:00:36,866 Are the two most special days 12 00:00:36,866 --> 00:00:40,000 of the year for 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,100 our faith, and as I said earlier, always, inseparable, 14 00:00:44,100 --> 00:00:47,399 and attached to Easter Sunday, is Good Friday, 15 00:00:47,399 --> 00:00:50,700 which mark year after 16 00:00:50,700 --> 00:00:54,000 year, century after 17 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,766 century, for over 2,000 years, 18 00:00:57,799 --> 00:01:00,966 the birth of King Jesus, the Burial of King 19 00:01:00,966 --> 00:01:03,666 Jesus, the Burial of King Jesus, 20 00:01:03,966 --> 00:01:07,033 and the resurrection of King Jesus. 21 00:01:07,099 --> 00:01:09,333 Those are. 22 00:01:09,866 --> 00:01:14,166 the most important events in 23 00:01:14,166 --> 00:01:16,033 human history, period. 24 00:01:16,033 --> 00:01:19,166 The fact that you may not believe that. 25 00:01:19,866 --> 00:01:23,033 bears absolutely no effect 26 00:01:23,066 --> 00:01:26,500 on the reality of the truth of it, at all. 27 00:01:27,500 --> 00:01:30,566 No other events in human history come 28 00:01:30,566 --> 00:01:33,966 close in their significance, and 29 00:01:33,966 --> 00:01:37,200 as eternity will prove to every 30 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:40,266 person who has ever lived, wherever you 31 00:01:40,266 --> 00:01:44,033 spend eternity, when you think back to human history, 32 00:01:44,066 --> 00:01:47,533 you will know of a great surety, 33 00:01:47,533 --> 00:01:51,066 that the birth, death, burial, and resurrection 34 00:01:51,066 --> 00:01:54,299 of Jesus Christ were the greatest events in 35 00:01:54,299 --> 00:01:55,666 all of human history. 36 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,033 Christmas. 37 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,333 is officially, officially 38 00:02:01,333 --> 00:02:04,700 observed by governments of 39 00:02:04,700 --> 00:02:08,066 over 160 nations around 40 00:02:08,066 --> 00:02:10,900 the world, the birth of Jesus. 41 00:02:10,933 --> 00:02:13,933 No other human being has that distinction that can 42 00:02:13,933 --> 00:02:15,800 be said about them for their birthday. 43 00:02:15,866 --> 00:02:19,099 And then over 95 nations around 44 00:02:19,099 --> 00:02:22,633 the world, governments officially celebrate 45 00:02:22,633 --> 00:02:25,699 Good Friday and Easter, and then 46 00:02:25,699 --> 00:02:29,000 unofficially, by many millions 47 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,000 of people in countries that do not 48 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,166 officially observe those two most important days 49 00:02:35,166 --> 00:02:39,000 on Earth, even in nations that 50 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,033 persecute Christians. 51 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,099 In Iran today. 52 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,533 There is an estimated millions of Christians 53 00:02:46,533 --> 00:02:50,099 who are celebrating Resurrection Sunday. 54 00:02:50,666 --> 00:02:53,833 Now, it's pretty interesting 55 00:02:53,833 --> 00:02:56,900 to note that in our American 56 00:02:56,900 --> 00:03:00,199 tradition, would 57 00:03:00,199 --> 00:03:03,500 you agree with me that Easter music is 58 00:03:03,500 --> 00:03:06,266 far in second place to Christmas music? 59 00:03:06,300 --> 00:03:07,566 Yeah. 60 00:03:07,699 --> 00:03:11,166 We have more Christmas hymns 61 00:03:11,166 --> 00:03:13,333 and songs than we can count. 62 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,099 96, 1, the river, 63 00:03:17,099 --> 00:03:20,099 starts playing Christmas music, 64 00:03:20,099 --> 00:03:23,099 both secular and religious, now, I think, in October, 65 00:03:23,099 --> 00:03:25,966 which is wild to me. 66 00:03:26,599 --> 00:03:29,300 But when it comes to Eastern music. 67 00:03:30,133 --> 00:03:31,766 What have we got? 68 00:03:32,466 --> 00:03:35,599 Here comes Peter Cottontail. 69 00:03:36,433 --> 00:03:38,599 I'm not really a fan. 70 00:03:39,666 --> 00:03:42,199 But that's the world's Easter music. 71 00:03:42,666 --> 00:03:45,733 And we do have in the church, really, 72 00:03:45,733 --> 00:03:49,333 some spectacular Easter hymns. 73 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,766 We sang one this morning, though not as popular 74 00:03:52,766 --> 00:03:56,366 or well known as Christmas hymns, such as Beethoven, 75 00:03:56,366 --> 00:04:00,300 and Wordsworth, Great Hymn, listen, Hallelujah, 76 00:04:00,300 --> 00:04:03,766 Hallelujah, Hearts to Heaven, and Voices, Raise, 77 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,166 Sing to God, a hymn of gladness, Sing 78 00:04:07,166 --> 00:04:10,233 to God, a hymn of praise, He who, on the 79 00:04:10,233 --> 00:04:13,266 cross, as Savior, for the world's salvation 80 00:04:13,266 --> 00:04:16,633 bled, Jesus Christ, the king of glory, 81 00:04:16,633 --> 00:04:18,600 now is risen from the dead. 82 00:04:18,733 --> 00:04:21,300 Now, the iron bars are broken. 83 00:04:21,366 --> 00:04:24,899 Christ from life to death is born, glorious 84 00:04:24,899 --> 00:04:28,133 life, and life immortal on this resurrection, 85 00:04:28,166 --> 00:04:31,333 morn, Christ has triumphed, and we conquered by 86 00:04:31,333 --> 00:04:33,300 His mighty enterprise. 87 00:04:33,366 --> 00:04:36,733 We, with him, to life, eternal by 88 00:04:36,733 --> 00:04:38,533 his resurrection, rise. 89 00:04:38,666 --> 00:04:40,333 That's an Easter hymn. 90 00:04:40,399 --> 00:04:44,366 Or how about Charles Wesley's great hymn? 91 00:04:44,399 --> 00:04:46,566 Christ, the Lord, is risen today. 92 00:04:46,633 --> 00:04:50,100 Son of men and angels say, Raise 93 00:04:50,100 --> 00:04:53,166 your joys and triumphs high, Sing, ye 94 00:04:53,166 --> 00:04:56,166 heavens, and reply, Lives, again, our glorious 95 00:04:56,166 --> 00:04:59,399 king, Where, O death, is now thy 96 00:04:59,399 --> 00:05:02,399 sting, Dying once, he doth all save, 97 00:05:02,399 --> 00:05:06,000 Where thy victory, O grave, Love's 98 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:07,366 redeeming work is done, 99 00:05:07,500 --> 00:05:10,633 Fought the fight, the battle won, Death in 100 00:05:10,633 --> 00:05:12,966 vain, forbids him rise. 101 00:05:13,033 --> 00:05:14,399 Christ has opened. 102 00:05:14,533 --> 00:05:15,433 Paradise. 103 00:05:15,500 --> 00:05:17,533 That's an Easter hymn. 104 00:05:18,199 --> 00:05:21,733 But beyond these, and 105 00:05:21,733 --> 00:05:24,966 the Easter hymns that we sung, the one we sung today, 106 00:05:24,966 --> 00:05:29,300 there's another Easter hymn that I want to share with you. 107 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,600 that's actually found in your Bible. 108 00:05:33,133 --> 00:05:36,733 And it's found here in 1 Timothy 109 00:05:36,733 --> 00:05:38,600 3, in verse 16. 110 00:05:38,766 --> 00:05:41,933 I chose this text, because I have 111 00:05:41,966 --> 00:05:45,333 a very strong desire 112 00:05:45,333 --> 00:05:49,266 to magnify and make as 113 00:05:49,266 --> 00:05:52,399 much of King Jesus as a bivocational oil 114 00:05:52,399 --> 00:05:54,633 company worker pastor can today. 115 00:05:54,733 --> 00:05:56,000 OK? 116 00:05:56,066 --> 00:05:56,966 That's the goal. 117 00:05:57,133 --> 00:05:57,566 for today. 118 00:05:57,966 --> 00:06:01,199 And I want you to consider, first, that this 119 00:06:01,199 --> 00:06:04,333 Easter hymn was 120 00:06:04,333 --> 00:06:07,399 quite literally pinned 121 00:06:07,399 --> 00:06:11,600 by the Spirit of God, inspired 122 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,433 through the Apostle Paul, and 123 00:06:15,433 --> 00:06:18,133 sung by the early church. 124 00:06:18,133 --> 00:06:21,133 Many commentators, many Bible scholars, 125 00:06:21,133 --> 00:06:25,333 believe, very possibly, this was the very first resurrection 126 00:06:25,333 --> 00:06:28,399 hymn sung in church history 127 00:06:28,399 --> 00:06:28,633 history. 128 00:06:28,699 --> 00:06:32,600 Let's start by reading it together here in verse 16. 129 00:06:34,033 --> 00:06:38,699 By common confession, great 130 00:06:38,699 --> 00:06:41,466 is the mystery of godliness. 131 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,600 Now, you may have, in your Bibles, I do, in my MacAuthor's study 132 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,766 Bible, the typeset changes in my Bible to give lines 133 00:06:47,766 --> 00:06:51,233 different from the paragraphs that you see proceeding this. 134 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:53,233 Look next. 135 00:06:53,300 --> 00:06:54,033 Here it is. 136 00:06:54,133 --> 00:06:57,600 He who was revealed in the flesh. 137 00:06:58,100 --> 00:07:00,666 was vindicated in the spirit. 138 00:07:00,899 --> 00:07:04,633 Seen by angels, proclaimed 139 00:07:04,633 --> 00:07:07,699 among the nations, believed on 140 00:07:07,699 --> 00:07:11,666 in the world, taken up to glory. 141 00:07:11,899 --> 00:07:15,000 Now, not only because of the 142 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,066 original author, but 143 00:07:18,066 --> 00:07:22,333 also because of the simple, yet magnificently 144 00:07:22,333 --> 00:07:25,633 profound wording, 145 00:07:25,633 --> 00:07:28,766 this hymn right here, when you put all that 146 00:07:28,766 --> 00:07:32,500 together, stands above all other hymns that have ever been written. 147 00:07:32,966 --> 00:07:35,966 Even though the word resurrection 148 00:07:35,966 --> 00:07:39,133 does not appear in this verse, as 149 00:07:39,133 --> 00:07:42,266 I'm going to show you today, these six 150 00:07:42,266 --> 00:07:46,466 lines of this hymn absolutely affirm 151 00:07:46,466 --> 00:07:49,866 the centrality of the resurrection 152 00:07:49,866 --> 00:07:51,800 of our Lord Jesus Christ. 153 00:07:52,399 --> 00:07:55,933 It will always be true that the resurrection 154 00:07:55,933 --> 00:07:59,100 is not only the essence of this hymn, but, as I said, 155 00:07:59,100 --> 00:08:02,466 at the start of our service, it's also the 156 00:08:02,466 --> 00:08:05,033 very heart of the Christian faith. 157 00:08:05,699 --> 00:08:09,733 Now, this hymn has a prelude to it, which 158 00:08:09,733 --> 00:08:11,899 starts at the beginning of verse 16. 159 00:08:12,066 --> 00:08:12,733 Look at it with me. 160 00:08:14,300 --> 00:08:17,833 Verse 16, by common confession. 161 00:08:18,433 --> 00:08:21,600 Great is the mystery 162 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:23,399 of godliness. 163 00:08:23,533 --> 00:08:26,766 That phrase, by common confession in the King James 164 00:08:26,766 --> 00:08:29,033 is, without controversy. 165 00:08:29,166 --> 00:08:31,100 I like that version better, by the way. 166 00:08:31,466 --> 00:08:34,899 The Greek meaning simply is this, to 167 00:08:34,899 --> 00:08:39,600 say the same, which means, Everyone says the same thing. 168 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,433 All of us agree. 169 00:08:42,566 --> 00:08:45,500 There is no debate here. 170 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,466 There is no controversy here. 171 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,666 Every one affirms this, 172 00:08:51,666 --> 00:08:55,399 which is about to be said, it is beyond all question, 173 00:08:55,399 --> 00:08:57,866 our discussion is what the meaning is. 174 00:08:57,899 --> 00:09:01,200 The entire redeemed true church of 175 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,266 Jesus Christ confesses that this is 176 00:09:04,266 --> 00:09:05,466 true. 177 00:09:05,533 --> 00:09:08,666 What said next, is a 178 00:09:08,666 --> 00:09:12,066 truth, that every single Christian 179 00:09:12,066 --> 00:09:15,066 who has ever, or 180 00:09:15,066 --> 00:09:19,266 will ever live on the face of the earth, confidently 181 00:09:19,266 --> 00:09:21,299 confesses, and what is it? 182 00:09:21,500 --> 00:09:23,766 Look next in verse 16. 183 00:09:23,966 --> 00:09:27,200 Great is the mystery 184 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,000 of godliness. 185 00:09:29,766 --> 00:09:31,700 Every Christian. 186 00:09:31,766 --> 00:09:35,066 Listen to me now, will affirm the truthfulness 187 00:09:35,066 --> 00:09:37,100 of that statement, you hear me? 188 00:09:37,166 --> 00:09:38,533 Will affirm it. 189 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:43,166 Simply put, if you don't affirm that, you're not a Christian. 190 00:09:43,266 --> 00:09:44,399 Period. 191 00:09:44,533 --> 00:09:48,566 If you don't believe that, you're not a Christian. 192 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,666 It's possible that this phrase 193 00:09:51,666 --> 00:09:54,833 was cried out at the very start of 194 00:09:54,866 --> 00:09:58,466 worship services in the early church, the upside 195 00:09:58,466 --> 00:10:01,466 down example of that was cried out in the 196 00:10:01,466 --> 00:10:04,600 pagan city of Ephesus, when they worship 197 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,700 the demonic false God, Goddess Diana, 198 00:10:07,700 --> 00:10:09,500 they said in Acts 19, 199 00:10:09,566 --> 00:10:12,966 Greatest Diana of the Ephesians, that 200 00:10:12,966 --> 00:10:14,600 demon pagan God. 201 00:10:14,666 --> 00:10:17,766 That's what they would cry out at the beginning of their services, though they 202 00:10:17,766 --> 00:10:20,766 certainly could have cried out that phrase in the early church 203 00:10:20,766 --> 00:10:22,333 worship service. 204 00:10:22,466 --> 00:10:24,433 Great is the mystery of godliness. 205 00:10:25,566 --> 00:10:28,700 So, of course, we have to ask the question 206 00:10:28,700 --> 00:10:31,166 next, what does it mean? 207 00:10:31,766 --> 00:10:34,000 What does that phrase mean? 208 00:10:34,166 --> 00:10:37,233 And the answer, of course, comes in 209 00:10:37,233 --> 00:10:40,566 the very first word of this resurrection 210 00:10:40,566 --> 00:10:43,266 hymn here in verse 16? 211 00:10:43,333 --> 00:10:45,799 What is the very next word? 212 00:10:45,899 --> 00:10:47,466 He? 213 00:10:47,700 --> 00:10:49,633 Look at it carefully. 214 00:10:49,766 --> 00:10:52,533 So there's no mistaking what the word is. 215 00:10:52,633 --> 00:10:54,200 He. 216 00:10:54,299 --> 00:10:57,000 The mystery of godliness is not a doctrine. 217 00:10:57,666 --> 00:10:59,633 It's not a creed. 218 00:11:00,266 --> 00:11:03,500 The mystery of godliness is not a theology 219 00:11:03,500 --> 00:11:05,366 or a principle. 220 00:11:05,466 --> 00:11:08,333 The mystery of godliness. 221 00:11:08,399 --> 00:11:09,899 Listen to me, church is a person. 222 00:11:10,566 --> 00:11:15,066 The word mystery here means 223 00:11:15,066 --> 00:11:19,266 to reveal what was hidden, to 224 00:11:19,266 --> 00:11:23,633 unfold what was not disclosed. 225 00:11:23,766 --> 00:11:27,133 It's used by Paul multiple times in the New Testament 226 00:11:27,133 --> 00:11:30,133 to refer to truth that was hidden 227 00:11:30,133 --> 00:11:33,600 in the Old Testament age that is now revealed 228 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,633 in the New Testament age. 229 00:11:36,299 --> 00:11:39,966 The word godliness can 230 00:11:39,966 --> 00:11:43,033 be defined and applied to multiple truths. 231 00:11:43,100 --> 00:11:46,166 We can be talking about the godliness of the Christian life and how 232 00:11:46,166 --> 00:11:49,799 you live, but at its base level, the word godliness 233 00:11:49,799 --> 00:11:51,966 simply means holiness. 234 00:11:52,766 --> 00:11:55,766 So if we want to answer the question, 235 00:11:55,766 --> 00:11:59,366 who is the he that 236 00:11:59,366 --> 00:12:02,600 this hymn starts out with, you have to start by asking the 237 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,966 question, in whom? 238 00:12:05,966 --> 00:12:10,166 Was perfect holiness revealed 239 00:12:10,166 --> 00:12:12,200 to mankind upon the earth? 240 00:12:12,899 --> 00:12:16,033 And there's only one possible 241 00:12:16,033 --> 00:12:19,500 answer, the Lord Jesus Christ. 242 00:12:20,066 --> 00:12:23,066 He is the mystery 243 00:12:23,066 --> 00:12:25,233 of godliness. 244 00:12:25,566 --> 00:12:30,200 He is holiness revealed to us. 245 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,733 to the people alive, who 246 00:12:33,733 --> 00:12:36,799 encountered him when he walked this earth, and for 247 00:12:36,799 --> 00:12:39,866 the people throughout all of church history, to read about in 248 00:12:39,866 --> 00:12:43,033 scripture, Jesus is 249 00:12:43,033 --> 00:12:45,266 the mystery of godliness. 250 00:12:45,899 --> 00:12:49,633 Christianity is not a system of ceremonies. 251 00:12:50,100 --> 00:12:52,366 Or trust in a creed. 252 00:12:52,866 --> 00:12:56,000 Christianity is not a plan for 253 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,066 how you are to live, a clean moral life, 254 00:12:59,066 --> 00:13:02,533 and on the basis of that, God says, You're okay, you make it to heaven. 255 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:03,733 That's not Christianity. 256 00:13:03,799 --> 00:13:07,100 And it's not even just a belief in 257 00:13:07,100 --> 00:13:10,033 a system of doctrines or theology, though it is that. 258 00:13:10,100 --> 00:13:11,433 It's not just that. 259 00:13:11,466 --> 00:13:15,133 At its core, Christianity is the affirmation. 260 00:13:15,566 --> 00:13:18,733 The common confession, 261 00:13:18,733 --> 00:13:22,399 that holy, perfect, righteous 262 00:13:22,399 --> 00:13:25,799 God came to this world, and 263 00:13:25,799 --> 00:13:28,033 revealed himself in a person. 264 00:13:29,366 --> 00:13:31,100 I don't care. 265 00:13:31,633 --> 00:13:35,700 Whatever else you believe out of this Bible. 266 00:13:35,833 --> 00:13:38,466 You can believe the golden rule. 267 00:13:38,533 --> 00:13:41,466 You can believe everything in the sermon of Mount. 268 00:13:41,466 --> 00:13:44,600 If you don't believe that holy, perfect, 269 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:47,600 righteous God came to this earth and 270 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,666 revealed himself in a person, you are in 271 00:13:50,666 --> 00:13:54,566 the current state of being an enemy with God. 272 00:13:54,966 --> 00:13:57,799 Period plumb and end of sentence. 273 00:13:58,033 --> 00:14:01,266 If you do not believe that 274 00:14:01,266 --> 00:14:04,633 Jesus is God himself, Roman says, 275 00:14:04,633 --> 00:14:07,633 you have a mind set on the flesh, 276 00:14:07,633 --> 00:14:12,200 that is, hostile towards God, at 277 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,733 enmity, the King James says, and that word enemy enmity 278 00:14:15,733 --> 00:14:19,766 means, the state of being, an enemy. 279 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,866 The Greek word for great. 280 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,133 Look at it there in verse 16, is megas. 281 00:14:26,233 --> 00:14:28,100 Strong word. 282 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,333 Great is the truth that holy 283 00:14:31,333 --> 00:14:34,466 God has been revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, 284 00:14:34,466 --> 00:14:36,133 that is Christianity. 285 00:14:37,166 --> 00:14:40,700 That is the most astonishing, 286 00:14:40,700 --> 00:14:43,833 amazing reality, and all of the realm of 287 00:14:43,833 --> 00:14:47,399 all religious thought that the creator 288 00:14:47,399 --> 00:14:49,366 God became a man. 289 00:14:50,233 --> 00:14:53,366 And we are here, on 290 00:14:53,366 --> 00:14:56,533 this resurrection Sunday, to sing this hymn, 291 00:14:56,533 --> 00:14:59,833 with Paul, and with Timothy, 292 00:14:59,833 --> 00:15:03,066 and with the early church, about the fact that Jesus 293 00:15:03,066 --> 00:15:06,533 is God revealed to man. 294 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:10,500 He is the mystery of godliness unfolded, 295 00:15:10,500 --> 00:15:12,833 and the testimony to that truth. 296 00:15:12,899 --> 00:15:14,266 I'm going to prove it to you. 297 00:15:14,366 --> 00:15:17,399 I am fixing to prove this to you in the six 298 00:15:17,399 --> 00:15:19,333 lines of this hymn. 299 00:15:19,466 --> 00:15:23,399 Each of these lines prove 300 00:15:23,399 --> 00:15:25,933 this confession to be true. 301 00:15:26,466 --> 00:15:30,000 It's one thing to say 302 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:33,533 that Jesus is that God is revealed 303 00:15:33,566 --> 00:15:35,200 in Jesus, and great is that revelation. 304 00:15:36,566 --> 00:15:39,600 But it's something else to verify it 305 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,266 from scripture. 306 00:15:42,266 --> 00:15:45,266 And so the Holy Spirit through the Apostle 307 00:15:45,266 --> 00:15:46,399 Paul, what has he done? 308 00:15:46,466 --> 00:15:50,100 He has written for all of human history, 309 00:15:50,100 --> 00:15:53,233 for all of church history, a hymn of 310 00:15:53,233 --> 00:15:56,466 verification about this reality, a 311 00:15:56,466 --> 00:15:59,833 hymn of evidence about who Jesus is, a 312 00:15:59,833 --> 00:16:03,299 hymn of proof that, indeed, Jesus is 313 00:16:03,299 --> 00:16:06,299 the secret of godliness unveiled. 314 00:16:07,100 --> 00:16:10,266 And this starts with line one next 315 00:16:10,266 --> 00:16:11,833 in verse 16. 316 00:16:12,366 --> 00:16:14,100 Look what it says. 317 00:16:14,233 --> 00:16:18,566 He, who was revealed in 318 00:16:18,566 --> 00:16:19,899 the flesh. 319 00:16:20,966 --> 00:16:24,033 The evidence that Jesus Christ was God 320 00:16:24,033 --> 00:16:27,366 in a human body starts with looking at the life that he lived. 321 00:16:27,866 --> 00:16:30,966 It was apparent in the way that he was 322 00:16:30,966 --> 00:16:33,000 born of a virgin. 323 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:36,633 Do you know anyone else who carries that distinction? 324 00:16:36,666 --> 00:16:39,966 Do you know of anyone else in human history? 325 00:16:40,033 --> 00:16:41,766 Who was born of a virgin? 326 00:16:41,833 --> 00:16:42,666 I do not. 327 00:16:43,166 --> 00:16:46,466 It was apparent in the way that he lived, 328 00:16:46,466 --> 00:16:49,600 an absolutely perfect, sinless life. 329 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,633 Do you know anyone else, in 330 00:16:53,666 --> 00:16:57,100 all of world history, who has pulled that off, or in your life? 331 00:16:57,866 --> 00:17:01,633 It was apparent in the amazing, 332 00:17:01,633 --> 00:17:05,166 profound, timeless words that came from 333 00:17:05,166 --> 00:17:07,700 his teaching, even many atheists. 334 00:17:08,166 --> 00:17:12,133 along with many people from other religions, respect 335 00:17:12,133 --> 00:17:16,799 the principles that he taught, to this day. 336 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,266 What did they say back then? 337 00:17:19,266 --> 00:17:22,700 Never has a man spoke 338 00:17:22,700 --> 00:17:23,833 like this man. 339 00:17:24,366 --> 00:17:27,666 It was apparent because 340 00:17:27,666 --> 00:17:30,966 of the indisputable, undeniable supernatural 341 00:17:30,966 --> 00:17:35,000 miracles that he did, including raising from the dead. 342 00:17:35,066 --> 00:17:37,099 Only God raises people from the dead. 343 00:17:37,333 --> 00:17:40,466 It was apparent from the knowledge that he displayed. 344 00:17:40,766 --> 00:17:42,266 he was here. 345 00:17:42,299 --> 00:17:43,266 Remember we studied? 346 00:17:43,266 --> 00:17:44,099 What did he say? 347 00:17:44,166 --> 00:17:46,633 You don't need to tell me what's in the heart of man. 348 00:17:46,700 --> 00:17:48,799 I know what's in man's heart. 349 00:17:48,900 --> 00:17:50,866 I know what's in his mind. 350 00:17:50,966 --> 00:17:53,599 I know what's in his thoughts. 351 00:17:53,666 --> 00:17:55,633 Only God has that ability. 352 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,366 Verse 16 says he was revealed 353 00:17:59,366 --> 00:18:01,000 in the flesh. 354 00:18:01,099 --> 00:18:04,866 That word revealed means to make visible. 355 00:18:05,833 --> 00:18:08,966 Prior to his incarnation, he was invisible. 356 00:18:09,599 --> 00:18:12,666 He was the second member of the Invisible 357 00:18:12,666 --> 00:18:14,000 God in the Trinity. 358 00:18:14,366 --> 00:18:16,000 And guess what? 359 00:18:16,333 --> 00:18:20,599 This first line, think about it, is 360 00:18:20,599 --> 00:18:24,866 a very simple, profound statement, but what does it do? 361 00:18:24,966 --> 00:18:28,266 It presupposes his pre existence. 362 00:18:28,333 --> 00:18:31,333 No one else existed before they were born, 363 00:18:31,333 --> 00:18:32,900 except Jesus. 364 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:37,633 God, who already existed, became revealed. 365 00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:40,766 He became revealed means he was made visible 366 00:18:40,766 --> 00:18:42,733 to us in human flesh. 367 00:18:42,799 --> 00:18:44,433 Well, how do you know that, brother Philip? 368 00:18:44,466 --> 00:18:47,333 Is that just your opinion you're giving to us? 369 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:48,366 Well, absolutely not. 370 00:18:48,433 --> 00:18:51,066 The only opinion I give you is straight from the Word of God. 371 00:18:51,133 --> 00:18:54,200 John 1, 1, in the beginning, was the 372 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,599 word, and the word was God, and 373 00:18:57,599 --> 00:19:00,766 the word was God, verse 14. 374 00:19:00,966 --> 00:19:04,133 That's Jesus, and the word Jesus became 375 00:19:04,166 --> 00:19:06,799 flesh and dwelt among us. 376 00:19:06,866 --> 00:19:10,000 And we saw his glory, glory as of 377 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,266 the only begotten from the Father full of grace and truth. 378 00:19:13,566 --> 00:19:16,266 John said, we could see his glory. 379 00:19:17,066 --> 00:19:20,299 On the mount of transfiguration, 380 00:19:20,299 --> 00:19:24,200 he gave him a little glimpse, like Superman, of his glory, right? 381 00:19:24,366 --> 00:19:27,533 Speaking of Jesus in Hebrews 13. 382 00:19:27,733 --> 00:19:28,166 Look what it says. 383 00:19:28,266 --> 00:19:32,766 And he is the radiance of his glory. 384 00:19:32,900 --> 00:19:33,566 Look at this. 385 00:19:33,599 --> 00:19:37,933 And the exact representation 386 00:19:37,933 --> 00:19:39,366 of his nature. 387 00:19:39,433 --> 00:19:43,400 That's Jesus, the exact representation 388 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,133 of God's nature. 389 00:19:45,266 --> 00:19:48,266 And look next, Jesus, and 390 00:19:48,266 --> 00:19:52,166 upholds all things by the word of his power. 391 00:19:52,266 --> 00:19:54,000 That's the universe, folks. 392 00:19:54,066 --> 00:19:55,733 That's all planets and galaxies. 393 00:19:55,799 --> 00:19:57,466 Who else? 394 00:19:57,599 --> 00:20:00,599 upholds all things by the word of his 395 00:20:00,599 --> 00:20:02,333 power, but God? 396 00:20:02,466 --> 00:20:04,733 That verse is talking about Jesus. 397 00:20:04,866 --> 00:20:06,000 Very clearly. 398 00:20:06,266 --> 00:20:08,966 Jesus Christ, by his own life. 399 00:20:09,066 --> 00:20:11,233 In the flesh revealed? 400 00:20:11,299 --> 00:20:12,033 Guess what? 401 00:20:12,066 --> 00:20:15,299 That he is the only possible candidate 402 00:20:15,299 --> 00:20:18,766 for being the mystery of godliness in 403 00:20:18,799 --> 00:20:22,533 the context of our passage, or in any way possible at all. 404 00:20:23,233 --> 00:20:25,200 Look at his life. 405 00:20:28,333 --> 00:20:29,766 Listen to his words. 406 00:20:30,500 --> 00:20:32,966 Look at his works. 407 00:20:33,266 --> 00:20:36,666 Follow the pattern of his living, 408 00:20:36,666 --> 00:20:38,233 from his birth to his death. 409 00:20:38,299 --> 00:20:41,000 And there is absolutely no possible way. 410 00:20:41,066 --> 00:20:44,366 You can come up with any other explanation. 411 00:20:45,066 --> 00:20:46,733 This is God. 412 00:20:47,233 --> 00:20:49,099 In human flesh. 413 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:52,400 I want you to just think for a minute about the 414 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:56,233 intensity of the scene at 415 00:20:56,233 --> 00:20:59,366 Galgotha, as he has been beaten 416 00:20:59,366 --> 00:21:00,500 like no man has been beaten. 417 00:21:00,733 --> 00:21:03,733 His entire body is marred 418 00:21:03,733 --> 00:21:05,000 with the scourging. 419 00:21:05,233 --> 00:21:08,233 His organs are showing 420 00:21:08,233 --> 00:21:11,299 in the horrible death of crucifixion 421 00:21:11,299 --> 00:21:12,866 as he's nailed to the cross. 422 00:21:12,966 --> 00:21:16,200 The only way he can catch a breath is one foot is nailed upon another, 423 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,566 is he has to push up or pull up with his hands, just 424 00:21:19,566 --> 00:21:22,733 to get a breath and not suffocate. 425 00:21:22,799 --> 00:21:26,099 Picture the scene at Galgotha with the black, 426 00:21:26,099 --> 00:21:29,833 dark skies, and then even a pagan 427 00:21:29,833 --> 00:21:32,966 Roman soldier at the intensity 428 00:21:32,966 --> 00:21:36,133 of that scene at the foot of that cross, watching him 429 00:21:36,133 --> 00:21:39,599 die, said, truly, this 430 00:21:39,599 --> 00:21:42,733 was the Son of God, being a title, 431 00:21:42,733 --> 00:21:43,933 being equal with God. 432 00:21:45,266 --> 00:21:48,500 There simply, folks, is no other 433 00:21:48,500 --> 00:21:50,299 explanation for his life. 434 00:21:50,833 --> 00:21:54,000 Divine revelation offers 435 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:57,366 no clearer evidence, the 436 00:21:57,366 --> 00:22:01,133 life of Jesus Christ, to anyone who was watching. 437 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:05,400 How do you make dead eyes see, if you're not God? 438 00:22:06,133 --> 00:22:08,166 Listen to H.R. 439 00:22:08,166 --> 00:22:11,166 Brimley, he wrote a hymn, titled The Great 440 00:22:11,166 --> 00:22:12,900 God of Heaven is coming down to Earth. 441 00:22:13,466 --> 00:22:16,833 One verse says, The 442 00:22:16,833 --> 00:22:20,566 word in the bliss of the godhead remaining, yet 443 00:22:20,599 --> 00:22:24,200 in flesh comes to suffer the keenness of pain. 444 00:22:24,266 --> 00:22:27,599 He is that he was, and ever more 445 00:22:27,599 --> 00:22:30,766 shall be, but becomes that he was not 446 00:22:30,799 --> 00:22:32,900 for you and for me. 447 00:22:34,466 --> 00:22:36,799 Just consider. 448 00:22:37,566 --> 00:22:41,466 The bottomless depth of this thought. 449 00:22:42,299 --> 00:22:45,900 Holy God, revealed 450 00:22:45,900 --> 00:22:49,333 in flesh in the person of Christ, in 451 00:22:49,333 --> 00:22:52,933 total, condescending grace, compassion, 452 00:22:52,933 --> 00:22:56,000 and mercy, comes to die a 453 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,066 criminal's death for 454 00:22:59,066 --> 00:23:01,700 the sins that he didn't commit. 455 00:23:01,933 --> 00:23:05,400 But for all who were ever believed in his name. 456 00:23:05,900 --> 00:23:09,666 The fact that he would stoop, 457 00:23:09,666 --> 00:23:12,433 not only just to become a man. 458 00:23:13,633 --> 00:23:17,166 But to redeem sinners, out 459 00:23:17,166 --> 00:23:20,166 of absolutely no obligation whatsoever to 460 00:23:20,166 --> 00:23:23,766 do so, speaks of the kind of grace, mercy, 461 00:23:23,766 --> 00:23:27,833 and love, folks, church, that is at a level that 462 00:23:27,866 --> 00:23:30,266 we just truly can't comprehend it. 463 00:23:30,966 --> 00:23:34,033 Our hymn here in verse 16 is saying 464 00:23:34,033 --> 00:23:37,333 to us, Proof enough of his godhood is 465 00:23:37,333 --> 00:23:41,066 available in that he was 466 00:23:41,066 --> 00:23:43,166 revealed in the flesh. 467 00:23:43,266 --> 00:23:47,099 Yes, that he did that is 468 00:23:47,099 --> 00:23:48,666 more than we can comprehend. 469 00:23:48,733 --> 00:23:51,666 Just that he did that is proof enough. 470 00:23:51,733 --> 00:23:53,299 But this Easter hymn keeps going. 471 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:54,766 Look at the second line. 472 00:23:55,466 --> 00:23:57,200 Verse 16. 473 00:23:57,433 --> 00:23:59,400 What's vindicated in the spirit? 474 00:23:59,466 --> 00:24:00,299 What does this mean? 475 00:24:00,366 --> 00:24:03,500 Well, you already know, because I rarely miss an opportunity to point this 476 00:24:03,500 --> 00:24:06,666 out to you, that Jesus, many times, many 477 00:24:06,666 --> 00:24:09,066 times in the gospel's claim to be God? 478 00:24:09,133 --> 00:24:12,266 He said, If you've seen me, you've seen the Father. 479 00:24:12,366 --> 00:24:14,900 He said, I and the Father are one. 480 00:24:14,900 --> 00:24:17,833 He said, I am the Lord of the Sabbath. 481 00:24:17,900 --> 00:24:22,466 He said, if he wanted to, he could call down legions of angels. 482 00:24:22,566 --> 00:24:23,299 Guess what? 483 00:24:23,366 --> 00:24:27,099 Only God is commander in chief of all the allegiance of angels. 484 00:24:27,133 --> 00:24:30,966 He said to the Jewish leaders before Abraham 485 00:24:30,966 --> 00:24:33,066 was, I am. 486 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:36,500 That's the name of God, Yahweh. 487 00:24:37,700 --> 00:24:40,633 You either have no ability to be able to read. 488 00:24:41,833 --> 00:24:45,266 Regis have no comprehension 489 00:24:45,266 --> 00:24:49,533 skills to say that Jesus never claimed to be God in the Bible. 490 00:24:49,566 --> 00:24:52,266 It's all over the Gospels. 491 00:24:52,466 --> 00:24:55,599 Every single one of his great claims 492 00:24:55,599 --> 00:24:58,799 to be God, were vindicated, 493 00:24:58,799 --> 00:25:02,400 were justified by the Holy Spirit. 494 00:25:02,466 --> 00:25:04,433 Well, just how did the Holy Spirit do that? 495 00:25:05,233 --> 00:25:09,733 How did the Holy Spirit remove any 496 00:25:09,733 --> 00:25:13,500 question whatsoever about whether or not those 497 00:25:13,500 --> 00:25:16,133 were just claims that Jesus made when he was saying those things. 498 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,200 We'll just turn over to Romans 1 and verse number 4, and 499 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:20,933 you're going to see the answer very clearly. 500 00:25:22,033 --> 00:25:23,599 Verse 4. 501 00:25:24,566 --> 00:25:28,500 who was declared the Son of God with power, 502 00:25:28,500 --> 00:25:32,233 by the resurrection, 503 00:25:32,233 --> 00:25:35,366 from the dead, according 504 00:25:35,366 --> 00:25:36,733 to who? 505 00:25:36,799 --> 00:25:40,099 The spirit of holiness, Jesus 506 00:25:40,099 --> 00:25:41,900 Christ, our Lord. 507 00:25:41,900 --> 00:25:44,900 When the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from 508 00:25:44,900 --> 00:25:48,000 the dead, the Holy Spirit was 509 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:49,066 making a very clear statement. 510 00:25:50,700 --> 00:25:52,966 He is who he claimed to be. 511 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,599 Sinless, holy God, 512 00:25:57,599 --> 00:25:59,333 in human form. 513 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:00,000 And watch this. 514 00:26:00,066 --> 00:26:01,733 He's going to walk out of this grave. 515 00:26:03,066 --> 00:26:06,299 So, as we said, the perfect, sinless 516 00:26:06,299 --> 00:26:08,166 life of Jesus revealed he was God? 517 00:26:08,299 --> 00:26:08,966 But guess what? 518 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:11,633 Everybody could see that life. 519 00:26:11,700 --> 00:26:14,700 I mean, not everybody was as close to Jesus when he was 520 00:26:14,700 --> 00:26:16,066 here, as the disciples were, right? 521 00:26:16,166 --> 00:26:19,233 Different people had all kinds of varying 522 00:26:19,233 --> 00:26:22,266 different degrees of evidence, and for sure, not 523 00:26:22,266 --> 00:26:24,000 everybody was around whenever he lived. 524 00:26:24,066 --> 00:26:26,099 None of us were around whenever he lived. 525 00:26:26,166 --> 00:26:29,166 So the Holy Spirit comes into the picture, 526 00:26:29,166 --> 00:26:33,299 and confirms all the claims by raising him from the dead. 527 00:26:33,566 --> 00:26:36,799 And you have to remember that 528 00:26:36,799 --> 00:26:39,866 while Jesus was living a perfect life, there were some who 529 00:26:39,866 --> 00:26:42,866 believed, but many, many, 530 00:26:42,866 --> 00:26:46,033 many people were condemning him, the religious leaders most of all, 531 00:26:46,033 --> 00:26:49,566 as we've been studying, the condemnation, and the hatred, 532 00:26:49,566 --> 00:26:53,000 had steadily been increasing in intensity, 533 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:57,566 all the way through his ministry, until finally it got him to the cross. 534 00:26:57,966 --> 00:26:59,599 And he died. 535 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,200 Under a cloud of sin and 536 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:05,066 guilt in the middle of two criminals. 537 00:27:06,133 --> 00:27:08,666 He was identified with criminals. 538 00:27:08,966 --> 00:27:10,700 As a criminal. 539 00:27:11,066 --> 00:27:14,133 He was treated by the Romans as 540 00:27:14,133 --> 00:27:18,233 an insurrectionist and a rebel and a troublemaker, who 541 00:27:18,266 --> 00:27:19,900 wouldn't bow the need of Caesar. 542 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:24,000 Even this very day, commentator 543 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:27,066 Ben Shapiro identifies Jesus as nothing more than a religious 544 00:27:27,066 --> 00:27:29,766 revolutionary who got himself killed on a Roman cross. 545 00:27:29,900 --> 00:27:31,866 I can say it with my own ears. 546 00:27:32,533 --> 00:27:36,666 He was treated by the Jews as a heretic and a blasphemer. 547 00:27:37,166 --> 00:27:40,333 And not only did he have artificial guilt 548 00:27:40,333 --> 00:27:43,500 put upon him, he also had put upon him all 549 00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:46,799 of the real sin of every believer who has ever or 550 00:27:46,799 --> 00:27:49,799 will ever live, he died under the full weight of 551 00:27:49,799 --> 00:27:53,266 sin for all believers, he died in a 552 00:27:53,299 --> 00:27:54,866 cloud of condemnation. 553 00:27:54,900 --> 00:27:58,266 Not everybody understood his perfect holiness. 554 00:27:58,333 --> 00:27:59,533 So what did the Holy Spirit do? 555 00:27:59,666 --> 00:28:01,466 He said, Watch this. 556 00:28:02,366 --> 00:28:05,400 He raised him from the dead, and he 557 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:06,900 forever removed that cloud. 558 00:28:07,700 --> 00:28:11,700 Jesus' resurrection was the declaration, 559 00:28:11,700 --> 00:28:15,066 by the Holy Spirit, that this man was not criminal, 560 00:28:15,066 --> 00:28:17,000 this man was perfectly righteous. 561 00:28:17,066 --> 00:28:20,299 And I'm going to prove it by raising him from the dead. 562 00:28:20,366 --> 00:28:23,533 Notice again, Romans 1:4, who 563 00:28:23,533 --> 00:28:26,599 was declared to be the Son of 564 00:28:26,599 --> 00:28:30,266 God, declared to be the mystery of godliness, 565 00:28:30,266 --> 00:28:33,099 declared to be God in human flesh. 566 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:36,266 And this verse is saying he was declared to 567 00:28:36,266 --> 00:28:41,533 be so with power by the resurrection. 568 00:28:41,599 --> 00:28:42,566 You see that? 569 00:28:43,633 --> 00:28:45,433 Sin kills. 570 00:28:46,933 --> 00:28:49,099 Sin kills permanently. 571 00:28:50,066 --> 00:28:52,900 And sin damns to hell. 572 00:28:53,666 --> 00:28:56,966 But Jesus rose from the dead because 573 00:28:56,966 --> 00:28:58,333 he had no sin of his own. 574 00:28:58,799 --> 00:29:02,933 He was raised to demonstrate his 575 00:29:02,966 --> 00:29:04,766 absolute perfect sinlessness. 576 00:29:04,866 --> 00:29:08,000 Now, next, the third line in this hymn is another line of evidence. 577 00:29:08,099 --> 00:29:11,233 He was not only revealed in the flesh, evidence enough of 578 00:29:11,233 --> 00:29:14,366 the mystery of godliness, vindicated in the spirit, evidence enough 579 00:29:14,366 --> 00:29:15,700 of the mystery of godliness. 580 00:29:15,799 --> 00:29:17,533 Look next, verse 16. 581 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:19,866 seen by angels. 582 00:29:20,533 --> 00:29:23,700 Now, think about the fact that angels had visited 583 00:29:23,700 --> 00:29:26,766 Jesus during his life, I said earlier in Matthew 26, 584 00:29:26,766 --> 00:29:29,166 he said, if I wanted to, I could call down a whole legion of angels. 585 00:29:29,233 --> 00:29:31,266 Right now, and y'all would all be toast. 586 00:29:31,333 --> 00:29:34,333 In fact, only two times 587 00:29:34,333 --> 00:29:35,666 during his life did angels come. 588 00:29:35,766 --> 00:29:36,833 You remember? 589 00:29:36,966 --> 00:29:40,266 Once when he was being tempted by Satan in the wilderness. 590 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:42,566 They came and ministered to him. 591 00:29:42,666 --> 00:29:45,533 And again, in the Garden of Gethsemane. 592 00:29:45,599 --> 00:29:48,666 as he sweat, as it were, great drops of blood, 593 00:29:48,666 --> 00:29:49,866 and he was tempted. 594 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:53,733 The Bible says an angel came and strengthened him. 595 00:29:53,766 --> 00:29:56,766 Can you just imagine that scene in the blackness of night at the Garden 596 00:29:56,766 --> 00:30:00,200 of Gethsemane, as he is praying on his knees, and sweating 597 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,299 drops of blood, and an angel comes down from heaven 598 00:30:03,299 --> 00:30:05,099 to strengthen him. 599 00:30:05,233 --> 00:30:07,466 So you only have those two times. 600 00:30:07,866 --> 00:30:11,466 But now, all of a sudden, in 601 00:30:11,466 --> 00:30:14,599 connection with the resurrection in our verse, he 602 00:30:14,599 --> 00:30:15,633 was seen by angels. 603 00:30:15,966 --> 00:30:19,099 The first line of this hymn took us to the cross. 604 00:30:19,166 --> 00:30:22,166 The second line of this hymn took us through the resurrection, 605 00:30:22,166 --> 00:30:25,166 this third line, singing by angels, takes us after 606 00:30:25,166 --> 00:30:28,700 the resurrection, this phrase, sing by, 607 00:30:28,700 --> 00:30:31,866 means also to watch and to witness. 608 00:30:32,066 --> 00:30:35,400 So this is talking about holy angels, not the fallen angels, 609 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:38,266 that he went into the pit to proclaim victory when his body was in the grave. 610 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:42,299 I am convinced, folks, that 611 00:30:42,299 --> 00:30:43,566 holy angels were watching. 612 00:30:43,700 --> 00:30:45,266 What was happening? 613 00:30:45,299 --> 00:30:48,299 At the resurrection, in 614 00:30:48,299 --> 00:30:51,466 whatever capacity, I don't know that they have to watch with. 615 00:30:51,866 --> 00:30:53,666 Why do I say that? 616 00:30:53,766 --> 00:30:55,400 Can you prove that, brother Philip? 617 00:30:55,466 --> 00:30:58,333 Well, I think I have strong evidence at the end of 1 Peter 112? 618 00:30:58,400 --> 00:30:58,866 Look at it. 619 00:30:59,066 --> 00:31:01,033 It's about the angels. 620 00:31:01,099 --> 00:31:04,266 Speaking of salvation, it says, things 621 00:31:04,266 --> 00:31:07,700 in which angels long to look. 622 00:31:08,666 --> 00:31:11,799 They have a longing to 623 00:31:11,799 --> 00:31:15,433 look into the matters of our salvation, and 624 00:31:15,433 --> 00:31:17,966 this event is the climax of it all. 625 00:31:18,066 --> 00:31:20,166 This is the high point of redemptive history. 626 00:31:20,233 --> 00:31:22,333 Without this, there is no salvation. 627 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:24,666 Without this, there is no Christianity. 628 00:31:24,733 --> 00:31:27,900 So I think, for sure, the holy angels were 629 00:31:27,900 --> 00:31:31,966 watching what was happening at the birth of Jesus, they did look at Hebrews 16. 630 00:31:32,700 --> 00:31:36,733 And when he says again, brings 631 00:31:36,733 --> 00:31:39,866 the firstborn into the world, he says, let all 632 00:31:39,866 --> 00:31:42,099 the angels of God worship him. 633 00:31:42,266 --> 00:31:45,733 And that's exactly what they did when Jesus was born, right? 634 00:31:45,799 --> 00:31:48,366 The whole sky was filled with angels. 635 00:31:48,433 --> 00:31:49,033 right? 636 00:31:49,333 --> 00:31:51,133 So don't you think? 637 00:31:51,900 --> 00:31:55,799 They were ready to worship him when he came out of that grave. 638 00:31:55,933 --> 00:31:57,266 Oh, I do. 639 00:31:57,299 --> 00:31:58,200 I thanked it. 640 00:31:58,266 --> 00:32:00,233 But there's more than that. 641 00:32:00,299 --> 00:32:03,966 As you know, there were some special angels, 642 00:32:03,966 --> 00:32:07,866 chose for some special participation in the resurrection. 643 00:32:07,933 --> 00:32:08,966 We read about it this morning. 644 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:09,900 I read it to you. 645 00:32:09,966 --> 00:32:12,200 One angel rolled the stone away. 646 00:32:12,299 --> 00:32:15,666 The Bible says he descended from heaven, and came and rolled 647 00:32:15,666 --> 00:32:19,099 away the stone, and sat upon it, and his appearance 648 00:32:19,099 --> 00:32:20,166 was like lightning. 649 00:32:20,299 --> 00:32:22,099 What a scene. 650 00:32:22,166 --> 00:32:25,166 And then the guard shook and became like dead men. 651 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:26,266 I guess they did. 652 00:32:26,833 --> 00:32:30,066 You're standing there gardening tomb, and straight 653 00:32:30,066 --> 00:32:33,233 out of the sky, an angel like lightning comes down, 654 00:32:33,266 --> 00:32:36,433 rolls around, jumps on top to stone, he's looking like lightning. 655 00:32:36,566 --> 00:32:39,633 I'd have fell out, too, and so would have you? 656 00:32:40,933 --> 00:32:44,000 And then there were the two angels where his body was, 657 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:47,666 one at his feet, one at his head, after he was already gone. 658 00:32:49,466 --> 00:32:51,866 Do you remember what one of them said? 659 00:32:51,966 --> 00:32:53,466 We read it. 660 00:32:53,599 --> 00:32:54,966 He is not here. 661 00:32:56,666 --> 00:32:58,466 He has risen. 662 00:32:58,933 --> 00:33:01,166 What a line, that is. 663 00:33:01,799 --> 00:33:06,299 etched forever into the stone of redemptive history. 664 00:33:06,500 --> 00:33:08,166 He is not here. 665 00:33:08,833 --> 00:33:12,133 He is risen, and an angel said that. 666 00:33:12,666 --> 00:33:15,833 And if, according to Luke 15, the angels 667 00:33:15,866 --> 00:33:18,866 rejoice over the salvation of just one soul. 668 00:33:19,566 --> 00:33:23,233 Can you just imagine what 669 00:33:23,233 --> 00:33:26,466 the celebration in heaven was like when 670 00:33:26,466 --> 00:33:27,733 Jesus came out of it? 671 00:33:28,933 --> 00:33:32,000 Holy angels confirm the 672 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,099 mystery of godliness, and for sure, they would 673 00:33:35,099 --> 00:33:36,299 sing with the church. 674 00:33:36,366 --> 00:33:38,633 Great is the mystery of godliness. 675 00:33:38,833 --> 00:33:42,900 There's a fourth line that 676 00:33:42,900 --> 00:33:45,000 takes this testimony one step further. 677 00:33:45,133 --> 00:33:49,099 Look next in verse 16, proclaimed among the nations. 678 00:33:50,166 --> 00:33:53,400 Now, I want you to imagine, I was thinking about this yesterday, 679 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:56,400 which was Saturday, imagine 680 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:58,866 being the disciples right after the death of Jesus. 681 00:33:58,866 --> 00:34:01,799 Imagine that Saturday. 682 00:34:02,366 --> 00:34:05,833 Shock, severe 683 00:34:05,833 --> 00:34:10,766 doubt, depression, the Messiah? 684 00:34:11,233 --> 00:34:13,500 Crucified with criminals? 685 00:34:14,166 --> 00:34:15,833 And now? 686 00:34:16,699 --> 00:34:18,566 He's dead? 687 00:34:19,033 --> 00:34:21,066 They put him in the grave? 688 00:34:22,933 --> 00:34:25,166 What a long Saturday. 689 00:34:25,466 --> 00:34:28,300 That must have been for the disciples, right? 690 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:31,566 Now, how in the world? 691 00:34:32,666 --> 00:34:35,666 Could they go from that attitude on Saturday? 692 00:34:36,866 --> 00:34:39,500 to proclaiming him among the nations. 693 00:34:39,733 --> 00:34:44,000 Well, even before Pentecost, there 694 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,433 is only one very clear answer 695 00:34:47,433 --> 00:34:51,066 and it is the resurrection of the God man. 696 00:34:51,733 --> 00:34:53,099 Think. 697 00:34:53,166 --> 00:34:54,300 I want you to just think with me. 698 00:34:54,366 --> 00:34:55,733 I want you to just picture this. 699 00:34:55,866 --> 00:34:59,000 Put yourself in the upper room that night with 700 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:03,333 the depressed, sad, shocked, scared to death, disciples. 701 00:35:03,500 --> 00:35:05,599 He's unquestionably dead. 702 00:35:05,699 --> 00:35:08,766 And while they're just dealing with all 703 00:35:08,766 --> 00:35:11,766 the shock of all of that, all of a 704 00:35:11,766 --> 00:35:15,000 sudden, the Bible says, he stood in their miss. 705 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:18,333 Can you imagine that? 706 00:35:18,666 --> 00:35:22,500 All of a sudden, he's just there. 707 00:35:23,300 --> 00:35:27,033 And he says, Peace be with you. 708 00:35:27,066 --> 00:35:28,099 Huh? 709 00:35:31,199 --> 00:35:31,933 Can you imagine? 710 00:35:32,099 --> 00:35:35,233 At that moment, the 711 00:35:35,233 --> 00:35:39,300 surge of confidence that they felt at that very second. 712 00:35:39,433 --> 00:35:42,433 And then a week later, he's there again, so Thomas could 713 00:35:42,433 --> 00:35:46,266 see and touch and put his fingers in the wounds, and they believed... 714 00:35:46,333 --> 00:35:47,233 I mean, how could you not? 715 00:35:47,300 --> 00:35:48,800 He's standing right there. 716 00:35:48,900 --> 00:35:52,033 And in Galilee, he makes breakfast for them one morning on 717 00:35:52,033 --> 00:35:54,433 the side of the lake. 718 00:35:54,500 --> 00:35:57,433 And then he appears to 500 people at one time. 719 00:35:57,500 --> 00:35:58,633 That'll stand up in court. 720 00:36:00,366 --> 00:36:03,433 How could you not just see their confidence 721 00:36:03,433 --> 00:36:05,366 would have just continued to grow? 722 00:36:05,466 --> 00:36:08,533 Then he recommissioned Peter and John, and 723 00:36:08,533 --> 00:36:10,566 then Pentecost comes, and what happens? 724 00:36:10,633 --> 00:36:13,866 They go roaring back into the city of Jerusalem, 725 00:36:13,866 --> 00:36:16,433 preaching Christ, and they tried to stop him. 726 00:36:16,566 --> 00:36:18,133 They said, no more preaching. 727 00:36:18,199 --> 00:36:21,433 And they kept on doing it, and the Bible says they counted 728 00:36:21,433 --> 00:36:24,433 it all joy to be worthy to suffer for the 729 00:36:24,433 --> 00:36:26,466 risen Christ because they had seen him alive. 730 00:36:29,533 --> 00:36:31,199 But if there had been no resurrection. 731 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:34,500 None of that would have happened. 732 00:36:35,300 --> 00:36:38,300 They would have never proclaimed him among the nations. 733 00:36:38,833 --> 00:36:41,966 They would have went back to their original lives, 734 00:36:41,966 --> 00:36:45,199 and they would have died in unbelievable depression and 735 00:36:45,199 --> 00:36:48,733 disappointment without any resurrection from the dead. 736 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:52,466 And they sure would have never died as martyrs. 737 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:56,533 I mean, they sure would never 738 00:36:56,533 --> 00:36:59,900 have died as martyrs if they had stolen the body, 739 00:36:59,900 --> 00:37:01,233 as the Jews made up that story. 740 00:37:01,266 --> 00:37:04,266 Nobody pulls off a hoax, and 741 00:37:04,266 --> 00:37:06,433 then is willing to die for what they know is a lie. 742 00:37:06,500 --> 00:37:07,566 Nobody does that. 743 00:37:08,699 --> 00:37:12,133 So when you hear this great line in verse 16, 744 00:37:12,133 --> 00:37:15,866 proclaimed among the nations, it's just dripping 745 00:37:15,866 --> 00:37:17,433 full of resurrection truth. 746 00:37:17,466 --> 00:37:20,633 Those apostles would have never preached 747 00:37:20,666 --> 00:37:22,000 and proclaimed his name. 748 00:37:22,033 --> 00:37:25,033 They would have never lived to die if they had not 749 00:37:25,033 --> 00:37:28,033 seen him with their eyes risen from the grave, and then 750 00:37:28,033 --> 00:37:29,166 we get to this fifth line. 751 00:37:29,833 --> 00:37:32,233 Of the resurrection hymn, 752 00:37:32,366 --> 00:37:34,699 What is the result of being proclaimed among the nations? 753 00:37:34,699 --> 00:37:38,133 Look next, believed on in the world. 754 00:37:38,166 --> 00:37:39,066 Now, there's no one living. 755 00:37:39,300 --> 00:37:42,466 that cannot say that 756 00:37:42,500 --> 00:37:44,466 evidence is overwhelming. 757 00:37:44,533 --> 00:37:47,699 Here we are, over 2,000 years later, 758 00:37:47,699 --> 00:37:51,233 on Hooper Road, in God's country of central, 759 00:37:51,266 --> 00:37:54,433 staking our eternal destiny on the claims of 760 00:37:54,433 --> 00:37:57,866 an obscure Jewish carpenter who died a criminal's 761 00:37:57,866 --> 00:37:59,900 death on a Roman cross 2,000 years ago. 762 00:37:59,966 --> 00:38:02,966 We're still here believing, believed 763 00:38:02,966 --> 00:38:05,133 on in the world, but not just that. 764 00:38:05,366 --> 00:38:08,500 What has it been, starting with the 765 00:38:08,500 --> 00:38:11,599 preaching of the apostles all through the centuries down 766 00:38:11,599 --> 00:38:14,833 to right now, that ultimately convinces people that 767 00:38:14,833 --> 00:38:17,000 Jesus is who he claimed to be. 768 00:38:17,066 --> 00:38:20,500 It's the reality that he rose from the grave. 769 00:38:20,533 --> 00:38:21,500 How do I know that? 770 00:38:21,500 --> 00:38:22,866 Romans 10 9. 771 00:38:22,933 --> 00:38:26,066 Look at it, that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus 772 00:38:26,066 --> 00:38:29,966 as Lord, and believe in your heart, that God did what? 773 00:38:30,066 --> 00:38:33,599 Raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 774 00:38:33,666 --> 00:38:35,333 That is the heart of the Christian message. 775 00:38:38,466 --> 00:38:42,066 Starting on the day of Pentecost, Peter preaches that 1st sermon after the resurrection. 776 00:38:42,133 --> 00:38:43,933 And what did he proclaim with power? 777 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:45,333 He says, this Jesus. 778 00:38:46,099 --> 00:38:49,866 That you killed, he's alive. 779 00:38:51,199 --> 00:38:54,500 3,000 people believed that very day. 780 00:38:54,733 --> 00:38:57,133 The evidence was overwhelming. 781 00:38:57,199 --> 00:38:58,766 The tomb was empty. 782 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:00,666 All you had to do was walk right down the road and go, look. 783 00:39:01,333 --> 00:39:05,099 In Acts 4, 5,000 people believed, 784 00:39:05,099 --> 00:39:08,099 and so they were turning Jerusalem upside down 785 00:39:08,099 --> 00:39:11,266 for Christ, and then they begin to move out into Israel, 786 00:39:11,300 --> 00:39:14,533 and then out into Samaria, and people all over 787 00:39:14,533 --> 00:39:17,966 begin to believe Jews and Gentiles, and Paul starts 788 00:39:17,966 --> 00:39:20,966 to go way out there on his missionary journeys, and everywhere 789 00:39:20,966 --> 00:39:23,133 he goes and preaches the gospel. 790 00:39:23,166 --> 00:39:26,233 People believe, and they believe, and they believe, and the reality that 791 00:39:26,233 --> 00:39:29,699 Jesus died was buried in rose from the grave, spreads 792 00:39:29,699 --> 00:39:31,033 like wildfire. 793 00:39:31,099 --> 00:39:32,599 Let me tell you something. 794 00:39:33,266 --> 00:39:36,733 Muhammad, with 795 00:39:36,733 --> 00:39:40,400 his false god, Allah who is a demon, spread 796 00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:41,833 Islam by the sword. 797 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:45,533 Christians spread Christianity with the sword of spirit. 798 00:39:45,599 --> 00:39:49,066 The gospel preached, is how it spread like wildfire. 799 00:39:49,199 --> 00:39:51,533 You can't deny history, folks. 800 00:39:51,800 --> 00:39:54,866 That fire has been burning ever 801 00:39:54,866 --> 00:39:57,433 since, right down to this very day. 802 00:39:57,500 --> 00:39:58,400 Why? 803 00:39:58,466 --> 00:40:01,466 Because Jesus said, I will build my church, and the gates 804 00:40:01,466 --> 00:40:02,900 of hell will not prevail against it. 805 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:04,433 That's a promise. 806 00:40:05,166 --> 00:40:07,699 The actual evidence. 807 00:40:07,766 --> 00:40:11,733 physical evidence, for the resurrection of Jesus is overwhelming. 808 00:40:11,766 --> 00:40:14,900 I want to wait until Wesley Huff is completely done with his 809 00:40:14,900 --> 00:40:17,966 project of why you can trust the Bible before we show 810 00:40:17,966 --> 00:40:21,199 it in Sunday school, but in that series, he's 811 00:40:21,199 --> 00:40:24,199 going to give unbelievable evidence of the resurrection that 812 00:40:24,199 --> 00:40:27,066 is just absolutely unbelievable. 813 00:40:27,133 --> 00:40:29,966 Liberal Bible scholars who deny the resurrection. 814 00:40:30,866 --> 00:40:33,900 cannot honestly deny it on the 815 00:40:33,900 --> 00:40:35,099 basis of a lack of evidence. 816 00:40:35,166 --> 00:40:38,599 They deny it because of their absolute 817 00:40:38,599 --> 00:40:41,233 refusal to be held accountable to a holy God. 818 00:40:41,366 --> 00:40:42,733 That's why they deny it. 819 00:40:43,199 --> 00:40:46,333 The gospel, including the resurrection, 820 00:40:46,333 --> 00:40:49,500 has been consistently, continuously preached throughout all 821 00:40:49,500 --> 00:40:52,566 the centuries since that very first sermon from 822 00:40:52,566 --> 00:40:56,033 Peter on Pentecost, and in every generation of human history. 823 00:40:56,166 --> 00:40:56,933 What have we seen? 824 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:59,400 Masses of people have believed. 825 00:40:59,966 --> 00:41:01,633 Why? 826 00:41:01,699 --> 00:41:03,666 Well, not only because it's the truth. 827 00:41:04,566 --> 00:41:07,733 But because man, in 828 00:41:07,766 --> 00:41:11,400 his fallen condition, even in that fallen condition, 829 00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:14,099 longs for life after death. 830 00:41:17,166 --> 00:41:20,166 Every person longs for something better than what we're 831 00:41:20,166 --> 00:41:22,266 going through now in this life. 832 00:41:22,333 --> 00:41:25,400 That's why you hear at every single funeral 833 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:27,800 you ever attend, oh, they're in a better place. 834 00:41:27,866 --> 00:41:29,199 Right? 835 00:41:30,599 --> 00:41:33,766 Nobody in their right mind truly 836 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:36,933 wants to look at death, which is the king of 837 00:41:36,933 --> 00:41:41,033 terrors, as the black end of eternal nothingness, right? 838 00:41:41,833 --> 00:41:45,000 And the reality is, that 839 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:48,000 better place can only be found 840 00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:51,000 in Bible repentance and saving faith in the Lord Jesus 841 00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:54,233 Christ, and for every person who does not repent and 842 00:41:54,266 --> 00:41:57,900 believe on Jesus terms, the result will not be the 843 00:41:57,900 --> 00:42:01,133 eternal black end of nothingness, but rather Jesus 844 00:42:01,166 --> 00:42:05,066 himself describes the black end of 845 00:42:05,066 --> 00:42:08,099 outer darkness, enduring the holy wrath of 846 00:42:08,099 --> 00:42:09,366 God for their sin forever. 847 00:42:09,966 --> 00:42:12,000 I didn't write the mail. 848 00:42:13,333 --> 00:42:15,266 I'm just the mailman. 849 00:42:15,366 --> 00:42:16,933 That's what the Bible says. 850 00:42:17,300 --> 00:42:20,533 So the evidence for Jesus being the mystery 851 00:42:20,533 --> 00:42:23,666 of godliness is that he was revealed in the flesh, vindicated 852 00:42:23,666 --> 00:42:26,766 in the spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the 853 00:42:26,766 --> 00:42:29,766 nations, believed on in the world, and lastly, 854 00:42:29,766 --> 00:42:31,433 here, as we close, verse 16. 855 00:42:32,166 --> 00:42:35,699 He was taken up in glory. 856 00:42:35,766 --> 00:42:39,133 Now, this refers, 857 00:42:39,133 --> 00:42:42,300 in part, for sure, to his ascension, remember, 858 00:42:42,300 --> 00:42:45,900 in Acts 1, when he was taken up into heaven, oh, 859 00:42:45,900 --> 00:42:47,099 but this is much more than that church. 860 00:42:47,366 --> 00:42:50,666 This is taking in Hebrews 1,3. 861 00:42:50,833 --> 00:42:53,966 Look at it, middle to the end of the verse, when 862 00:42:53,966 --> 00:42:57,033 he had made purification of sins, 863 00:42:57,033 --> 00:43:00,166 he sat down at 864 00:43:00,199 --> 00:43:03,366 the right hand of the majesty on 865 00:43:03,366 --> 00:43:04,500 high. 866 00:43:04,566 --> 00:43:07,566 That's the right hand of the seat of all power and authority. 867 00:43:07,633 --> 00:43:09,066 That's what that's illustrating. 868 00:43:09,133 --> 00:43:13,266 This is taking into account Philippians 2, 9 through 11. 869 00:43:13,566 --> 00:43:16,699 For this reason, also, God, highly exalted 870 00:43:16,699 --> 00:43:19,866 him, and bestowed upon him, the name 871 00:43:19,866 --> 00:43:22,866 which is above every name, so that at the name 872 00:43:22,866 --> 00:43:26,699 of Jesus, every knee will bow of 873 00:43:26,699 --> 00:43:29,766 those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 874 00:43:29,766 --> 00:43:32,833 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ 875 00:43:32,833 --> 00:43:36,266 is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father, 876 00:43:36,266 --> 00:43:39,266 that happens at the end, with every single human being 877 00:43:39,266 --> 00:43:41,900 who ever lived, they will bow the knee. 878 00:43:41,900 --> 00:43:44,300 If you don't bow the knee, now, you will, 879 00:43:44,300 --> 00:43:47,466 at the end, and if it's your first time, then, it will be too late for you. 880 00:43:48,599 --> 00:43:51,599 Hebrews 12, 2, fixing our eyes 881 00:43:51,599 --> 00:43:54,666 on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, 882 00:43:54,666 --> 00:43:57,666 who, for the joy set before him, endured 883 00:43:57,666 --> 00:44:00,900 the cross, despising the shame, and has sat 884 00:44:00,900 --> 00:44:04,800 down at the right hand of the throne of God. 885 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:07,866 After the resurrection, Jesus himself said in Matthew 886 00:44:07,866 --> 00:44:10,933 28, 18, all authority has been 887 00:44:10,933 --> 00:44:13,800 given to me in heaven and on earth. 888 00:44:13,866 --> 00:44:17,533 That's all authority, folks, over all the universe, 889 00:44:17,533 --> 00:44:21,300 over all the seen realm, over all the unseen realm. 890 00:44:21,366 --> 00:44:24,433 By common confession, great is the mystery of 891 00:44:24,433 --> 00:44:28,166 godliness, Jesus was taken up into glory. 892 00:44:28,266 --> 00:44:30,966 It encompasses all of that that I just read to you. 893 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:34,400 And even more than our finite minds 894 00:44:34,400 --> 00:44:36,266 can begin to comprehend. 895 00:44:36,433 --> 00:44:39,666 Taken up into glory means that God, 896 00:44:39,666 --> 00:44:41,233 the Father, exalted him. 897 00:44:41,300 --> 00:44:41,833 Why? 898 00:44:41,966 --> 00:44:44,966 Because his work on our behalf was 899 00:44:44,966 --> 00:44:47,066 perfect and complete. 900 00:44:48,199 --> 00:44:50,466 As I said earlier, propitiation was made. 901 00:44:50,533 --> 00:44:53,666 God's wrath for us was appeased 902 00:44:53,666 --> 00:44:55,900 by what he did for us in our place. 903 00:44:56,699 --> 00:44:59,766 And now we're really going to close, I promise. 904 00:44:59,833 --> 00:45:01,266 The preacher gets to say that at least three times. 905 00:45:01,333 --> 00:45:04,566 I'm only saying it twice, but this one is for real. 906 00:45:05,666 --> 00:45:10,266 As a result of that last line, in 907 00:45:10,266 --> 00:45:13,500 this first Easter hymn, God 908 00:45:13,500 --> 00:45:17,766 gives John Apostle John a glimpse of 909 00:45:17,766 --> 00:45:20,766 the final outcome of being taken up into glory, 910 00:45:20,766 --> 00:45:25,333 look at Revelation chapter 5, verses 11 through 13. 911 00:45:26,099 --> 00:45:27,833 Then I looked. 912 00:45:28,933 --> 00:45:33,266 And I heard the voice, many 913 00:45:33,266 --> 00:45:36,333 angels, around the 914 00:45:36,333 --> 00:45:41,933 throne, and the living creatures, 915 00:45:41,966 --> 00:45:46,199 and the numbers of them was myriads, 916 00:45:46,199 --> 00:45:49,333 and thousands, of thousands, saying, with 917 00:45:49,333 --> 00:45:52,500 a loud voice, Worthy is the lamb that was slain 918 00:45:52,500 --> 00:45:55,933 to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, 919 00:45:55,933 --> 00:45:58,500 and might, and honor, and glory. 920 00:45:58,633 --> 00:46:01,633 and blessing, but keep going, and 921 00:46:01,633 --> 00:46:04,633 every created thing, which is in 922 00:46:04,633 --> 00:46:07,633 heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and 923 00:46:07,633 --> 00:46:10,866 on the sea, and all things in them, I 924 00:46:10,866 --> 00:46:13,933 heard, saying, to him who sits 925 00:46:13,933 --> 00:46:17,599 on the throne, and to the lamb, be blessing, 926 00:46:17,599 --> 00:46:21,133 and honor, and glory, and dominion forever. 927 00:46:21,500 --> 00:46:22,933 Yeah. 928 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:24,500 Let's pray. 929 00:46:24,566 --> 00:46:26,199 By the way, thank you. 930 00:46:29,233 --> 00:46:30,900 We thank you for your word so clear. 931 00:46:30,966 --> 00:46:32,933 So powerful. 932 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:39,533 Oh, Lord, we are humbled to our core, that, 933 00:46:39,566 --> 00:46:43,266 that you would come to this earth, 934 00:46:43,266 --> 00:46:46,099 have anything to do with us, much less save our souls. 935 00:46:47,599 --> 00:46:51,433 We give you all the praise and the honor and the glory. 936 00:46:51,566 --> 00:46:54,699 And we will do that, just as John the 937 00:46:54,699 --> 00:46:58,133 Revelator says, forever and forever, and we will never, 938 00:46:58,166 --> 00:47:01,199 ever, ever tire of doing it, because 939 00:47:01,199 --> 00:47:03,166 then we will know as we are known. 940 00:47:03,300 --> 00:47:06,666 We will see him as he is, and 941 00:47:06,666 --> 00:47:09,833 we will understand in ways that we can understand 942 00:47:09,866 --> 00:47:14,099 on this earth all the fullness of 943 00:47:14,099 --> 00:47:15,133 the person and work of Christ. 944 00:47:15,199 --> 00:47:18,033 We praise you on this Easter Sunday. 945 00:47:18,066 --> 00:47:21,133 We pray that all that we've done in this place has been done in 946 00:47:21,133 --> 00:47:24,066 such a way to bring you maximum glory. 947 00:47:24,133 --> 00:47:25,800 In Jesus' name we pray. 948 00:47:25,866 --> 00:47:26,300 Amen.