Sunday Service
Thank you. And please be seated. If you are can wait take your Bibles and open up the Book of Revelation. No passengers today. We're going to look at the group that were familiar with the hundred forty-four thousand.
follow along with our reader passage in Revelation 14 1 through 5 And behold the lamb was standing on Mount Zion in with him 144,000 having his name in the name of his father written on our foreheads. There are no boys from heaven like the sound of many Waters like the sound of loud thunder and the boys.
And they sing a new song before the throne and before the for leaving the living creatures and the elders and no one can learn the song except the 144,000 who have been purchased from the Earth. These are the ones who have not been defiled with women. They have kept themselves chased. These are the ones who follow the lamb wherever he goes purchased from among men is first fruits to God and to the lamb. And no lie was found in their mouth. They are blameless.
Somebody want to say this hundred and forty four thousand in Revelation 14 is different than 144000 and 7. I don't completely agree with the back for a few reasons to know who is 144000 has reminded us of the people that we talked about.
44000 consists of Jewish males 12000 each of the 12 tribes of Israel And since this passage takes place during the Great Tribulation. We know that this hundred and forty four thousand Jewish males were not followers of Christ when the church was raptured. Did they follow Christ? They will no longer be on earth it be with the church in heaven, but they're still on Earth.
Turn to change and begin to follow Christ has been revealed to us about a writer of Revelation. It helped the contrast is 144,000 Jewish males with those who follow and worship the Beast. They're sealed with the name of the lamb and the name of his father on their foreheads as opposed to being sealed By the Number of the Beast. I think it's really interesting because the number of the pages given to us, we're not sure exactly what that means or who that is and the people who follow a sealed or unsealed simply with the number of God. There is no doubt about who they belong to.
First four tells us that the 144,000 followed the lamb wherever he goes. The rest of us for the rest of the passage after that.
And listening to the story in their purity and how they walk can help us in our Christian walk today for principles. And I think that we can use to help us.
The first three tells us they were purchased from the Earth. But now I'm first four were told that they are specifically purchased from among men. Jesus Paid the purchase price, please hundred and forty four thousand a day that he died on the cross.
They have been redeemed used hear. The Greek word is used to being used in this passage means to call release off or to caused the freedom to someone by a very costly price by the one who purchased. It's not just simply paying money. Okay. This is more than the cross that day. He went to pay the highest cost to give these 144,000 complete freedom.
that day she knew he was laying down his life so that in the end time. these chosen men they specifically chosen men for this specific mission. all of humanity
would be used to speak truth to the rest of humanity. The gardening over 2000 years in the future. Specific except during the most dire time don't demand. And he knows each of them by name. This isn't like going to the recruiter's office and sign up with a bonus for joining the military. It's not his army. We're going to get our money.
God wanted him for this mission.
Think about this for a moment.
Over 2000 years ago. Jesus allowed himself to be nailed to a cross. Did you just not just a 44000 man? That would be superb Angeles, but he allowed himself to be nailed to that cross.
So that we can be sealed with the Holy Spirit.
Mm Go. You walk down that pass he walked up that hill because he didn't you that. He wanted you didn't specifically so that you Could be a child of happiness.
Jesus died for you. He died for me. He went to that cross with your name on his lips. He walked that road like down on that cross was lifted up and Shane bleeding on that cross saying I love you this much.
Got paid a Cossack price for your Redemption. Romans 8:30 Lee's home for Destin he also called and then he called he also justified in a Justified. He also glorified.
Paying that price God tells us that he will take us from being called all the way to being glorified. God will never forget you where you are. And what's your face?
These men were purchased. Is that would be the first fruits offering to God? The understanding of firstfruits is something we get from the Old Testament the understanding that the early readers of Revelation scripture. You shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks. That is the first fruits of the wheat Harvest and the Feast of ingathering at the turn of the year did the beginning
The farmer goes out into his field in the very first of his Harvest is presented to God at the Tabernacle as a gift to God and recognition that God desires of everything we have.
Later chapter 14. We will see Christ with his sickle reaping a full Harvest on the earth later later on this chapter that talks about Christ and he told me all the time. harvest the full Harvest
644 thousand talking about here will be the first to be harvested.
All of us understand the concept of giving the first to God in trouble and doubt.
I know we don't like to admit it sometime, but you said giving sometimes a problem for us?
You know, everybody here has some type of budget. It may have to go out and you know how much the difference is was hurting. You know that.
We know our income in our outcome. Typical you have that that money earmarked in the budget. We sit there and go. Okay when I get paid, I'll go pay this bill first NFL first and will fill first when I get down here. I'm going to pay at least this much on this bill and hope it gets me through and I'm going to have much money left over for me to live for that month.
You know if we have a little bit left over will comfortable then we can give to somebody else to help out.
Did text Rusty earmarked the very first of your paycheck forgot to take that paycheck and give it to him and then try to pay your bills after the trust. We have to trust God that we will have enough left over to cover our bills and our knees if we give to him the first fruits.
We have to trust God that he will meet our bills that she will meet our needs.
That he will make any emergency that might come up.
The world wants to teach you that when you get paid that went when you receive your gifts or whatever. However, you want to look at it when you get paid that you should pay yourself first.
I mean most people talk about whatever it is. You got planned at the first thing out of that money is yours.
And then after that you can pay your bills if you need to cut down those bills, but make sure you pay yourself first.
Now I know that this is both the touchy and scary subject, but listen to this. Listen to me. God purchased you with his first and only son. And ask that you offer back to him the first of what he has given to you.
The world says take care of yourself. God says let me take care of you. I paid my price.
Let Me Love You
Are you familiar with this question started off your mind?
We all know that right. We've all said to somebody we've already said sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you.
Let me ask you this. When is the last time you picked up a rock to throw at someone when you are angry or mad or frustrated?
When's the last time you picked up a stick?
When's the last time that you said a word in Anger knowing that hurt it would caused the first most important to you? You don't pick up sticks and stones because we know words hurt. words have power
words don't hurt and why do we choose to use words to hurt someone instead of carrying around a bag of rocks?
And during the Great Tribulation these hundred and forty four thousand will be in bold contrast to the dragon and his two beasts the dragon the devil The Serpent of father of wise people spew hate field lies about God during his short time of raining on Earth. At least super evangelist. In contrast or share nothing, but the truth. Those called by God will know the difference.
Those who hate God have already chosen the LIE. Romans 1:25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served create the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever. amen
They chose the LIE over the truth, even though the truth was shared with you.
I bet you heard this quote before 2. Most I can probably say who made it to most famous. Okay? You can talk to call but can you walk the walk?
If I remember that if you don't complete if you don't let me introduce you some John Wayne movies, okay?
Not only will their speech the truth, but their behavior will match it in their mouth. But on top of that show the truth.
Had a friend in college was going to University of Tennessee who heard the street. He liked him so much at the very next day. He went back and found them to listen to him preach some more now Sunday. He was sharing with us his friends in the College Grove about what his preaching was saying the truth and how it impacted him and how it made him know something to eat.
Enjoy them so much that he went to try to find him to listen to him again a couple days later ready to my friend and he was upset visibly upset was wrong and he told me remember that preacher that preaches a shed so much of the Gospel that I need to hear that again.
walking out of a store drunk
did taking the money to people have given him while he was preaching truth. And used it to buy alcohol and get drunk.
You can imagine the impact that had on my friend and his wife. Okay during the Great Tribulation. These Saints will speak nothing, but truth and left nothing but truth in our lives. But we can do this also.
Stop those thoughts in your head of cakes are saying.
I'm not strong enough.
I'll do my best. But I'm going to lie about what I'm going to say something that's not completely true understand. I mean you yourself said those hundred forty-four thousand was super evangelist still with the name of God cannot do what they did, but you do the best I can.
You're not super baby. You can't do it. You never ever will be able to.
Liscio's hundred forty-four thousand couldn't do it on their own either and God never asked you to do it on your own. God doesn't want you or expect especially the perfect and that he gave us.
being first fruits our language our Behavior doesn't flow out of us because of us.
All of those will be possible for the hundred and forty four thousand because God purchased them by the blood of the Lamb. And it's the same for us. Theologically speaking is the cause of the process of sanctification a logical words in church, right? It's the process of sanctification. Like it isn't that isn't that makes us better, but it causes us to be better that empowers us to be better because we have been given the whole film a child of God and God's power drinks his love for you is what helps to make you the person that he wants you to become. our part pretty simple Our part is to follow the lamb wherever he gums.
you are missing about what you do, but what for you
we're getting ready to celebrate the Lord's Supper. Then we Jasmine his table to remember what we remember is that his body was broken for us. His blood was poured out instead of flowers. God has already purchased you he had paid that price.
and all God says simply to you is follow the lamb wherever he goes. Let's pray. Let's glorious. Thank you so much for your love for me for us that you sent you to sundown to work. Then we have the wife of perfection so that he is my sin. Father thank you for that. Love beyond all other love. Father God give me the strength to focus on the plan to follow the lamb wherever he goes in Christ's name we pray. Hey, man.