I'd like to welcome everyone to Bridge Gospel this morning.
I'm glad you're here if you're a first-time guest.
I'd especially like to welcome you.
Make yourself at home.
I know it can be awkward to visit a new church.
It's weird.
Some people have a place where they always sit,
and you wonder if they're in your seat.
So welcome.
Make yourself at home.
We have coffee, refreshments in the lobby,
so feel free to enjoy.
I'd also like to welcome everyone who's watching online.
Some of you are family,
and you just can't make it here for whatever reason,
so I just believe that God will bless you right where you are at.
Amen.
So I just have one announcement today.
We have this group for Christian entrepreneurs
that's meeting once a month.
It's an opportunity for people to just be encouraged
in their calling to business,
so we'll have that Tuesday at 7 o'clock,
and we're trying to schedule that once a month.
So that's the plan.
It will be here at 7 o'clock.
That is the only announcement.
The rest of our events are all on the website.
They're on the events page.
You can take a look on there.
If you're interested in volunteering,
all our opportunities are on there as well.
So I'm not going to pass a bucket or put any pressure on,
so I'll just pray for the offering.
We have a box in the back.
You're welcome to participate in worshiping
through your tithes and offerings back there
or on the website.
So dear Heavenly Father,
we thank you that you provide for us so greatly.
We thank you for jobs and opportunities
and every source of increase
that you bring into our lives.
And we honor you through our generosity,
and we thank you for the opportunity
to sow a seed into the kingdom of God
and to advance the kingdom around the world.
In Jesus' name, amen.
All right.
So we are continuing in our series
about living in a supernatural world,
and we've been talking about that.
We've been talking about how there's a spiritual world
that is just as real as the world that we live in.
And we talked about the invisible war
that is going on between good and evil.
And last week, we talked a little bit
about how God chooses to include us in our plans,
that he doesn't need us, God doesn't need anything,
but he chooses to involve us
in what he's doing in the world.
So today, I want to talk about something
a little more specific on this topic.
I want to talk about angels.
And, you know, I think this is a really encouraging topic.
I've been preparing this for a few weeks now,
and there was so much more I could have said.
There's so many scriptures I could have taught on,
so it was hard to whittle it down to one message.
But it was just, it was so encouraging to see
the level of involvement and activity
that God really does have in our lives.
And you see it all through the Old Testament,
all through the New Testament.
You see him sending help.
You see him sending deliverance.
You see him sending justice.
And he does this primarily through ministering angels.
We see him through the Old and the New Testament.
So we're going to take a look
at a few of those passages today,
and then we're going to talk about
how this applies to us today.
Now, when I say the word angel,
I think people picture one of two things.
I think they picture like the little fat baby
on a Christmas card with a little,
oh, that's Cupid, I'm sorry.
But, you know, or they picture like the white
kind of nightgown looking thing
and the halo and all that.
And it's cute.
It kind of looks harmless.
And they make the little Christmas ornaments
and stuff that are cute.
But when you see angels in the Bible,
and nobody's like, oh, this is cute.
They all fall on their face.
And they think that they're going to die.
Or they try to worship them.
One of the two always happens.
And what's the first thing
that always comes out of the angel's mouth?
Is, yeah, don't be afraid.
The angel always says, don't be afraid.
So I think that our culture always tends to tame
the things of God.
It always tends to tame the supernatural.
It always tends to tame what God is doing
and God's power.
But that can lead us to treat the spiritual world
that it's a lot more distant
and a lot more imaginary.
And it's almost like a metaphor.
But when you read the scriptures,
the Bible is assuming from page one
that there is a realm of spiritual activity,
that there's a hierarchy and organization
and administration that God is doing
behind the scenes.
And that there is loyalty
and that there is rebellion
and that there is good and there is evil
and there are real things
that have real power.
And they have an effect on our lives down here.
So the kingdom of God is not a theoretical idea.
The kingdom of God is active
and it's powerful and it's moving.
And God has a plan.
So I want to answer the question,
who are angels?
What are they like?
And what do they have to do with us?
So I want to start in Isaiah 6.
This is kind of my main scripture.
I have a number of scriptures I'll bring in,
but this is the main one I want to focus on.
So in Isaiah 6, King Uzziah is dead
and the stability of his reign is over.
So the earthly king is gone.
And it's that moment that Isaiah has this vision
that we see in Isaiah 6.
And it's in that moment that he sees the real king.
So it says,
In the year of King Uzziah's death,
I saw the Lord seated on a high elevated throne.
The hem of his robe filled the temple.
Seraphs stood over him.
Each one had six wings.
With two wings, they covered their faces.
With two, they covered their feet.
And they used the remaining two to fly.
They called out to one another,
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of heaven's armies.
His majestic splendor fills the entire earth.
The sound of their voices shook the door frames
and the temple was filled with smoke.
I said,
Woe to me!
I am destroyed.
For my lips are contaminated by sin.
And I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin.
My eyes have seen the king,
the Lord of heaven's armies.
But then one of the seraphs flew toward me.
In his hand was a hot coal he had taken from the altar with tongs.
He touched my mouth with it and said,
Look, the coal has touched your lips.
Your evil is removed.
Your sin is forgiven.
So they're talking about these seraphim,
these angels.
It's a type of angel.
And that word has kind of a connection
to the idea of something that's burning.
So these aren't like mascots or cute,
you know, baby angels the way we think about it.
And they have these six wings.
The two that cover the face
and two that cover the feet
and then two that they actually use to fly.
And one of my nerdy friends 3D printed
an angel for his tree
that had six wings on it
because he wanted a biblically accurate
decoration for his tree.
I thought that was quite funny.
But that's a very different reality
than what comes to our imagination, isn't it?
And I look at what they're saying
is they're saying,
holy, holy, holy.
And that's the only attribute
that we hear talked about
in the third degree three times.
It's not love, love, love.
Yes, God is love.
And it's not mercy, mercy, mercy.
But God is mercy.
But it's about his holiness.
That is his highest attribute.
And their voice is shaking the foundations
and there's smoke and Isaiah.
Now, Isaiah is a prophet.
He's very familiar with the things of God.
He's very used to the idea of God speaking, right?
He has that expectation.
And he falls apart.
And he says, woe to me.
He says, I am ruined.
You see, because when you get that close
to something that's that holy you,
it's not really like fun.
It's more like you're exposed.
Because God knows everything.
God knows the things that we have done.
But miraculously, grace shows up
in the middle of all of this terror
and Isaiah's fear.
Grace shows up.
And one of the angels gives Isaiah this coal
and ministers to him.
And his sin is forgiven.
So the first reality of living
in a supernatural world
is that God is not a concept.
He's a king.
He's not an idea.
He's not this thing far off.
He's a king.
He's in charge.
He has power.
And he's very organized.
And the heavenly realm
is not soft and fluffy and cloudy.
But it's weighty and it's real
and it carries significance.
Now, Ezekiel shows us another vision.
It's a fascinating vision.
I think it's a vision that's probably
one of the most abstract visions
in the entire Bible.
It talks about God's throne.
And it seems to be mobile.
So I'm going to read a little bit
from Ezekiel chapter 1 in a second.
And Ezekiel is, at this time in history,
he's in exile.
His people are displaced.
They're uprooted from their home
and they're far from the temple of God.
They can't go to the temple and worship.
And God gives him this vision.
And here's what it says.
This is Ezekiel chapter 1.
It says,
In the 30th year,
on the 5th day of the 4th month,
while I was among the exiles,
at the Ribbar River,
the heavens opened
and I saw a divine vision.
On the 5th day of the month,
it was the 5th year
of King Jehoiakim's exile,
the Lord's messenger
came to the priest Ezekiel,
the son of Boozle,
at the Kibbar River
in the land of the Babylonians.
The hand of the Lord
came upon him there.
As I watched,
I noticed a windstorm
coming from the north,
an enormous cloud
with lightning flashing
such that bright light
rimmed it and came from it
like glowing amber
from the middle of a fire.
In the fire were what looked
like four living beings.
In their appearance,
they had human form,
but each had four wings,
four faces and four wings.
Their legs were straight,
but the soles of their feet
were like calves' feet.
They gleamed like polished bronze.
They had human hands
under their wings
on their four sides.
As for the faces and wings
of the four of them,
their wings touched each other
and they did not turn
as they moved
but went straight ahead.
Their faces had this appearance.
Each of the four
had the face of a man
with the face of a lion
on the right,
the face of an ox on the left,
and also the face of an eagle.
Their wings were spread
out above them.
Each had two wings
touching the wings
of one of the other wings
being on either side
and two wings
covering their bodies.
Each moved straight ahead.
Wherever the spirit would go,
this is key,
wherever the spirit would go,
they would go
without turning as they went.
In the middle of the living beings
was something like
burning coals of fire,
kind of like we saw in Isaiah.
Or the living beings
was something like
burning coals of fire
or like torches.
It moved back and forth
among the living beings.
It was bright
and lightning was flashing
out of the fire.
The living beings
moved backward and forward
as quickly
as flashes of lightning.
Then I looked
and I saw one wheel
on the ground
beside each of the four beings.
The appearance of the wheels
and their construction
was like gleaming jasper
and all four wheels
looked alike.
Their structure
was like a wheel
within a wheel.
When they moved,
they would go
in any of the four directions
they faced
without turning
as they moved.
Their rims were high
and awesome
and the rims
of all four wheels
were full of eyes
all around.
When the living beings
moved,
the wheels beside them
moved.
When the living beings
rose up from the ground,
the wheels rose up too.
Wherever the spirit
would go,
they would go
and the wheels
would rise up
beside them
because the spirit
of the living being
was in the wheel.
When the living beings
moved,
the wheels moved
and when they stopped
moving,
the wheels stopped.
When they rose up
from the ground,
the wheels rose up
from the ground,
the wheels rose up
beside them
because the spirit
of the living being
was in the wheel.
over the heads of the living beings was something like a platform
glittering awesomely like ice stretched out over their heads
under the platform their wings were stretched out each towards each other
each of the beings also had two wings covering its body
when they moved I heard the sound of their wings it was like the sound of
rushing waters or the voice of the sovereign one or the
tumult of an army when they stood still they lowered their
wings then there was a voice from above the platform over their heads when
they stood still above the platform over their heads was
something like a sapphire shaped like a throne
high above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man
I saw an amber glow like a fire enclosed all around from his waist up
from his waist down I saw something that looked like fire there was a brilliant
light around it like the appearance of a rainbow
in the clouds after the rain this was the appearance of the surrounding
brilliant light it looked like the glory
of the Lord when I saw it I threw myself
face down and I heard a voice speaking
it's a beautiful scene but what does it mean
you see I think the storm the fire all this lightning this image it's it's
every time God shows up there's there's fire there's light it's it's the
language of God appearing or they call it a theophany
and you know God has this ability to appear
it seems as angels do it doesn't seem to happen real often
it's definitely not normal it's not how he normally operates but in this moment
this is how he revealed himself
and then these living beings come out and they're they're not cute they're not
hallmark material I wouldn't say I think kids would be a little bit concerned
about that but they're they're powerful and they have
these faces of a human of a lion of an ox and an eagle and I think that
represents their dominion over certain areas you know the lion was the king of the
wild beast you know the ox represents another type of strength and the eagle
uh you know has strength and power over the air but then you have the human the one that bears
the image of God and these wheels are all turning and they're moving but but not moving
kind of all at the same time and there's these eyes and it means that God sees and he knows and
he's aware you see a king in the ancient world had a throne and it was in one place
and he could only see and he could only control and he could only deal with and interact with
what was in front of him but God has this whole thing that moves it's mobile and I think the point
of this whole passage is especially at this time is that you know God isn't trapped in a building
he's not trapped in the church he's not trapped in a place and more importantly I think it means
that you know God's not trapped in the best season of our life God's not trapped in the good old days
and I don't know how many times I've sat down and talked with somebody who's in a time of hopelessness
and they're talking about what God did 20 years ago and I says well what about God now he can move
he can show up he's got wheels apparently um so he he isn't trapped in the best season of our life
and so often we forget that you know God has moved in our life and God has spoken and God has shown
himself to us in some way and then you know a little bit of time passes and we kind of drift and
you know maybe our spiritual life kind of wanes off a little bit and all of a sudden where's God
where's God and we forget and God is not trapped by by geography and you know I hear people that are
are older than me uh they talk about you know revivals that happen maybe it was you know back in the 60s
and 70s there was a great revival and you know I wasn't there you know I didn't experience that it
sounds like it was amazing but it doesn't have the same meaning to me but you know God isn't isn't
trapped in our old town or our old church or this person that was in our lives he's not confined
by our geography our circumstances he's not confined by anything and God isn't confined by by whatever
prayer that comes out of our mouth you see sometimes we think well if I could just pray the right thing
or if I could get the right person to to pray for me well then I'd be healed and and people will go
from place to place well maybe this person can pray for me and I'll get healed and maybe this person
can pray for me and I'll get healed and they go crazy and the truth of the matter is is that God can
meet you where you are today and and you know it's sad that we've made celebrities out of out of certain
preachers and healers and prophets and and traveling evangelists and there's there's this comparison
and competition that has come into our church and and into the body of Christ but but thank God that
really isn't how God works God can show up anywhere and I'd like to encourage you that if you feel that
you're in exile that if you feel that God is far that if you feel that God is is far emotionally or
or relationally or spiritually or if if you feel that God isn't moving in your family or God isn't
moving in your household or in your business or in your job that God can come to you God can come to
you God can meet you anywhere you don't have to wait you don't have to wait for someone to come to
town you don't have to wait for a prophet you don't have to wait for a healer you don't have to wait
for me to come and pray for you you can have an encounter with God anywhere you are
it's a beautiful thing
the book of Revelation
brings a couple
these visions all together
I think
in a really cool way
and then it reveals
the focal point
the center
the lamb
and you know
what I love about
the book of Revelation
is that John
is really not inventing
a supernatural world
of his own
he's
I think he's seeing
the same things
Isaiah saw
I think he's seeing
the same things
that Ezekiel saw
Revelation 4
this is certain
of verse 6
it says
and in front of the throne
was something like
a sea of glass
like crystal
in the middle of the throne
and around the throne
were four living creatures
full of eyes
in front and in back
the first living creature
was like a lion
where we heard this
the second creature
like an ox
the third creature
had the face
like a man's
and the fourth creature
looked like an eagle flying
each one of the four
living creatures
had six wings
and was full of eyes
all around
and inside
they never rest
day or night
saying
holy
holy
holy
is the Lord God
the all powerful
who was and who is
and who is still to come
and whenever the living creatures
give glory
honor
and thanks
to the one
who sits on the throne
who lives forever and ever
the 24 elders
throw themselves
to the ground
before the one
who sits on the throne
and worship the one
who lives forever and ever
and they offer their crowns
before his throne
saying
you are worthy
oh Lord and God
to receive glory
and honor
and power
since you created
all things
and because of your will
they existed
and were created
so I think
John saw
the same thing
that Ezekiel saw
saw the same thing
that Isaiah saw
I think that he saw
the throne
the court
the living creatures
the whole thing
and you know what you notice
it's funny about it
is there's
there's no fog machines
there's no big sound system
there's no moving lights
you see as humans
we get bored with God
we get bored with God
and then this cycle starts
of like well
we should do a new thing
we should change things up
we should
we should paint the sanctuary
we should change the music
we should have new songs
and
and
what ends up happening
is we cycle through things
and people have different tastes
and different opinions
and that's
that's all good
but what
what ends up happening
on earth
is that we argue
when we divide over
music
over lights
over paint colors
I mean
we compare
we compare
we compete
we navel gaze
heaven doesn't do
any of this
they've found
one thing
they have one
thing
that is worth
looking at forever
and one thing
holy
holy
holy
is the Lord
God
almighty
and they are unified
they're unified
around this
one
thing
this one
thing
and there's so many things
in this world
that divide us
but we can unify
around one idea
there is one God
there is one salvation
and there is one God
who is holy
holy
holy
and everything else
that we come up with
is us
God has no respect
for your theology
he has no respect
for it
God is God
he's who he is
we all have different
opinions about issues
right
but here's the thing
we all have different
degrees of revelation
you see how
Isaiah
and Ezekiel
and John
all saw the same thing
they all saw
different aspects of it
they saw it through
their own eyes
it processed through
their own mind
and it was written down
in their own words
but what's amazing
about it
they saw the same thing
so I don't think
it matters so much
what we think
it matters what God thinks
right
and you see how
worship
is about unity
around one idea
and that is that
God is holy
that is the main idea
that I want to teach
you guys this morning
is that worship
is about unity
it's not about
our taste
and preference
opinion
the church we go to
the sign that's outside
that says
well we're
we're this
or we're that
it's not about
any of that you guys
it's about unity
and you can learn
an awful lot
from people
that have different opinions
you can
so Revelation 5-6
it says
this is the
this is the focal point
of the whole thing
Revelation 5-6
then I saw
standing in the middle
of the throne
and of the four living creatures
and in the middle
of the elders
a lamb
that appeared
to have been killed
he had seven horns
and seven eyes
which are the seven spirits
of God
sent out
into all the earth
so right in the middle
of all this
is Jesus
this is a lamb
that was slain
so you see
that this isn't
just about
angels for angels
sake
this just isn't
about human
entertainment
the supernatural world
everything that God
is commanding
is centered
around
Jesus
and I think
it's easy for us
to forget
that you know
when we have
a calamity
or a difficulty
and we call on God
and we think
it's all about us
we're like God
send an angel
send help
and we know God can
I believe God can
I believe God can
change whatever he wants
whenever he wants
however he wants
and we don't
always remember
that the supernatural
things that God does
the way that he runs
his kingdom
the things that he does
in our own lives
personally
they're not about us
they're about Jesus
they're all about Jesus
and sometimes
we wonder
why we go through
the things that we go through
why we suffer
the way that we do
and I can't always
explain that
I can't always explain
why God doesn't
just take pain away
doesn't heal
doesn't change things
doesn't bring
children back home
I cannot explain
that to you guys
but what I understand
is that everything
that God does
is about Jesus
and in the end
everything that God
chooses to do
is good
regardless of how
we understand it
or how our emotions
process it
or how we feel
about it
we may be feeling
like the world
is crumbling down
and we may not see it
but what God
is doing in that moment
if he's in charge
God has control
and God is always
good
he's always
good
so it's our perspective
sometimes that needs
to change
because we don't understand
how God is using
this for good
when all we see
is evil
all we see
is the fruits
of the devil
but yet God
is using it
for good
so we've been
in the throne
we've talked about
that
and I think we've
seen how God
has agents
and I'd like
to explore
a couple more
passages about
angels
I don't think
it's really
a specific label
it seems like
more of a job
description
it would directly
translate to the
word messenger
and we see
that there's
some of these
spiritual beings
they're stationed
around God's throne
but on other times
we see that
they get sent out
and they
somehow
they cross the
boundary
into our world
and maybe
they deliver
information
or they facilitate
someone's freedom
or deliverance
or they engage
in some kind
of a conflict
and Hebrews
1.14
this is fascinating
it says
are they not
all ministering
spirits
ministering spirits
sent out
to serve those
who will inherit
salvation
and you saw
how Isaiah
was ministered
to by the angel
the angel
was actually
serving Isaiah
so you think
about this hierarchy
God's at the top
he has these
throne room beings
and then here we are
as humans
we're frail
we're messy
we're mortal
and God is kind of
telling well go
serve the humans
we talked a little
bit about that
last week
but it's because
that we're the
heirs of God's
kingdom
that God's
kingdom is
ultimately
about promoting
humanity
the Bible says
that one day
we'll judge angels
how cool is that
and I want to
encourage anyone
that if you
feel small
in this life
that that's not
the end
that's not all
that God has
planned
because often times
we can feel
small
and we can feel
insignificant
and I just
want to encourage
you guys
it's okay to live
a normal life
it's okay to
not be popular
it's okay to
not have anybody
know who you
are
it's okay
God's okay
with that
I'm okay
with that
I can live
with that
it's totally
okay to be
insignificant
it's okay
to be average
it's okay
to be below
average
maybe I'm
below average
I don't know
but it's okay
you guys
the kingdom
of God
doesn't work
that way
and the call
that we each
have on our
life
is so much
bigger than
us
and I want
you to see
through these
scriptures
that God
can always
send help
God
can always
send angels
God
can always
minister to
people
through angels
and we
may feel
small
but God
is never
small
God
is always
powerful
and he
can work
through
anybody
as
insignificant
as you
may feel
you may
be surprised
when you
get to
heaven
and you
see the
significance
that your
words had
on your
family
on your
neighbors
on your
friends
times that
you prayed
or just
encouraged
someone
or said
hello
and noticed
someone
who
maybe felt
insignificant
and you're
going to get
to heaven
and I think
you're going to
be surprised
at how important
those moments
were to God
so I'm going to
give you three
little categories
this is kind
of the
application
portion
of the
message
Luke 21
through 28
should be
familiar to
a lot of
you guys
it's the
birth of
Jesus
it says
in the
sixth month
of Elizabeth
pregnancy
the angel
Gabriel
was sent
by God
to a
town of
Galilee
called
Nazareth
that's the
middle of
nowhere
to a
virgin
engaged
to a
man
whose
name
was
Joseph
a
descendant
of
David
and the
virgin's
name
was
Mary
the
angel
came
to her
and said
greetings
favored one
the
is with
you
and our
name is
Gabriel
and if you read
the scriptures
Gabriel is not a
garden variety
angel
this is the same one you see in Daniel
I think chapter 8 and 9
and the angel is saying
that this is the age and the time that you were waiting for
you see everything has a time chronologically
like oh I'm going to work on Monday
we're doing this on Tuesday
we're going to go over here on Wednesday
and Friday is the weekend
and so everything has a time
but the other thing
that's really important
is everything has an age
or an era
and I think that that means that it's the right time
you know that things are set up just right
you know we live in such a time as this
we live in a time where the world needs the word of God
where the world needs revival
where the world needs the power of the Holy Spirit
we were made for such a time as this
and the time is just right
for certain things to happen
and for God to speak and move
and do things in a certain way
so there's time like it's Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
but then there's the right time
the God appointed time
and you see that God is not random
in the way that your life moves
he's not random in the way the world moves
he's purposeful
he's organized
he knows what he's doing
and there are turning points in God's history
that the supernatural world I think
touches on what's going on down here
that the supernatural gets involved
and you see this with this angel appearing
and declaring that Jesus is coming
now this is just my opinion
this is where I always get in trouble
but I believe that God has revealed ideas
and insights to people
throughout human history
to advance his will
I think that maybe he did that
with the printing press
because it enabled people
to read the Bible for themselves
I think he maybe did that
with electricity and the internet
so we could transmit the gospel
around the world
and he can use those things for good
we can use them for evil or good
he always uses them for good
and I think that's what it meant
when Jesus said
well you guys will do greater things
and I didn't think it meant
that it was greater than the things he did
but it was much wider in scope
I mean this little church
we got an email
someone was watching in Kenya
I thought well this is interesting
they bothered to email us
and it was encouraging
but it showed me the power of God
to use all this human technology for good
especially in an age
where we feel like technology
is starting to eat us
right?
so God has
I think he has a hand
on redemptive purposes in our world
so I like the idea
that God can communicate with us
and it doesn't always have to be
something like super mission critical
right?
Hebrews 13 too
I think is fun
it says
do not neglect hospitality
because through it
some have entertained angels
without knowing it
how cool is that?
how cool is that?
and it could just be
for the purpose of fellowship
it doesn't say
I don't know what to do with that
so this I think
should be encouraging to us
because God can send us company
Amen
number two
angels facilitate deliverance
Acts 12 7
suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared
and a light shone in the prison cell
he struck Peter on the side
and woke him up saying
get up quickly
and the chains fell off Peter's wrists
you see Peter didn't get out of there
because he was clever
he escapes because God was active
and moving in his life
and he interacted with him
and I believe that God
can help you get out of
whatever you've gotten yourself into
how many ever got into something?
come on
and some of us
guys
some of us have gotten into things
we have gotten into things
that only God can get us out of
you ever been there?
well what are we going to do about this?
well I don't know
I guess God's going to have to show up
that's when you know you're desperate
when you start praying
and some of us have gotten into things
you know physical things
health issues
and that only God can get us out of it
and some of us
you know
our emotions are such a wreck
from you know
things we've seen or done
or things that people have done to us
and only God
can change that
only God can do that
so it's amazing that God
has this ability
to facilitate that
last thing
angels facilitate justice
this one's a little more challenging
it's in 2 Kings 19
it says
verse 35 says
that very night
the angel of the Lord
went out and killed
185,000 in the Assyrian camp
not Hallmark material
when they got up early the next morning
they were all corpses
definitely not seeing that
in the Hallmark Channel
and I think we've got to pause here
like this is a really difficult part of the Bible
it's horrifying
and you can kind of feel the weight
of how significant that was
and you know
I don't think the Bible is asking us to be numb
and you know
sometimes you're reading the Bible
and something hits you a certain way
and you don't know what to do with it
you read it
and you're just like
I don't know if I like this
I'm just going to kind of keep going
or maybe you read something
and you don't think you can understand it
so you just kind of
keep going
but you know
the Bible
is very honest sometimes
and I want you guys to think about
you know
what was going on here
and what it was
and what it wasn't
you know
this isn't God
you know
murdering people
massacring people
committing this
this mass genocide
it's
it's this invading army
that's been attacking people
that's been
been evil
outside of Jerusalem
they've been trying to destroy
God's people
and the text shows us
what's happening
is that God is delivering judgment
and deliverance
and God is stopping this aggressor
who's been destroying people
and mocking the living God
you have to understand that
and it reminds us
that the spiritual realm
is not just about our comfort
that sometimes there is a conflict
and it needs to be stopped
and God will put a limit
on evil
God will put a limit
on evil
and you know
this is not a go and do likewise
kind of a passage
right
you know
in the new covenant
you know
the church is not exactly advancing
by destroying all their enemies
but Jesus tells us
to love our enemies
but God
God
reserves the right
to judge evil
and sometimes he does this
throughout human history
and I believe that God is
very aware of what's going on
in our world today
I believe that
he is very mindful
of the injustice
that we see across the world stage
and you know
I believe it's just
it's miraculous
that Ukraine is still standing
so I believe that
God can have a hand
in those things
we can't see it
but it's there
and what this tells us
is that God
has an authority
over human life
that we just don't
we just don't
and you know
when humans take life
when it's for pride
or when it's for greed
or revenge
or wanting power
or wanting territory
that's murder
but God had to judge
these people
at a certain point
or they were going to
destroy innocent people
but that's an authority
that we really don't have
you see vengeance
belongs to the Lord
the Bible says
judgment belongs to the Lord
and we can lament
over something
that's this challenging
and still say
that God is just
and if you read the passage
in its context
and I encourage you
if you study this message
God is very patient
and very just
so at this point
you know
it's easy to go
sideways into
into speculation
and
and wondering
you know
about more details
things that the Bible
just doesn't tell us
and I think that the Bible
gives us just enough
information to have a glimpse
not enough to have
an obsession
right
we can get so obsessed
with
with all the supernatural
things that God does
we can get obsessed
with
with the things of God
the power of God
we can get obsessed
with all these things
surrounding God
but we can miss God
himself
at times
we can think
well I'm so interested
in this one aspect
of what God does
I'm so interested
in healing
or I'm so interested
in this type of ministry
or I'm so interested
in this aspect
of scripture
but
God is the center
just like he was
in that passage
in Revelation
so the point
of all this
is to say this
so we're not alone
now most people
live like they're alone
and that the only
forces in their life
are money
and stress
and the opinions
of other people
and the government
and they just think
that everything
is material
and maybe they think
well God
is just this idea
and maybe prayer
is just
you know
positive thinking
or something like that
but
what the Bible
teaches us
is that God
is very involved
in our lives
and that he sees
everything
he knows everything
and he has a plan
that we can put
our faith
and our trust in
and I want to
encourage everyone here
I want you to know
that you are seen
that you're never
abandoned
you're never alone
you're never forsaken
Jesus took those
things upon himself
but you're also
not fighting
just an enemy
that you can see
that there is
a power of good
and evil
in the world
but I'll share
that passage
I shared
at the beginning
of the series
2 Kings 6
Elijah
he says
don't be afraid
for our side
outnumbers them
they were surrounded
it's like the song
that we sang
you know
we might be surrounded
but we're surrounded
by God
and Elisha prayed
to open his eyes
so that he could see
and the Lord
opened the servant's eyes
and he saw the hill
was full
full
of horses
and chariots
and fire
you see
their problem
wasn't
that they were alone
or that they didn't
have allies
the problem
was that they
couldn't see
they had a
seeing problem
they couldn't see
that God
was for them
they couldn't see
that God
was more powerful
than their enemies
they couldn't see
that God
was going to
bring justice
on their behalf
that they didn't
have to do anything
and unfortunately
it's easy
to live a life
where we don't
believe that God
is the most powerful
force in the world
we can easily
believe that God
is against us
or we've done
something wrong
to separate us
from God
and we don't
need God
to create
like a whole new
reality around us
we need God
to open our eyes
to the reality
that's already there
and if you've ever
felt unseen
if you've ever felt
like you were exposed
or unprotected
or vulnerable
you're not alone
and I encourage you
that if you've never
known Jesus
as your personal
Lord and Savior
that today
is a great day
to invite him
into your life
and be seen
and known
and loved
by the God
of heaven
and earth
and I encourage
anyone who feels
far from God
in some area
of their life
just to know
that God sees
that he cares
and that he is
more than able
he is more than able
to do whatever
needs to happen
he is more than able
to bring deliverance
he is more than able
to bring a prodigal home
he is more than able
to bring healing
and if you'd like
prayer for these things
we would love
to stand up here
and agree with you
in prayer
after I close
our prayer team
will be up here
but if this is
ringing a bell for you
I encourage you
to get prayer
if this is a moment
where you want to
invite Jesus
into your life
for the first time
we'd love to share
that moment with you
but I just want
to encourage you
that the circumstances
that you see
in this life
they will always
challenge God
what you see
with your eyes
and the way
your mind processes
it will always
challenge
the idea of God
and his goodness
and I encourage you
to never take your eyes
off the goodness
of God
I read Psalm 23
when we opened up
and God is always
for us
he's always pursuing
us with his mercy
his kindness
all the days
of our life
and we change
we go up and down
all the time
day to day
minute by minute
we're up and down
but God
never changes
Hebrews says
that Jesus is the same
yesterday and today
and forever
amen
so dear Heavenly Father
we thank you
for this moment
we thank you
that you are for us
we thank you
that there's so much
going on
that we can't see
and understand
and Lord
save us from
needing an explanation
and save us
from needing
to have control
and power
and just bring us
to a place
where we can enjoy
and wonder
and trust
and Lord
I pray for
each and every person
here that
that needs your help
that you can send
help in their time
of trouble
in their time
of need
and Lord
that you can send
compassion
and joy
into their lives
that we don't have
to know everything
that's happening
to trust you
we trust you
because you're good
and you always
do good things
so Lord
help us to entrust
ourselves
our lives
our circumstances
our families
our jobs
our money
everything
help us entrust
that to you
a God who never changes
a God who never fails
a God who is working
all things together
for the good
of those who love him
and are called
according to his purpose
Lord I thank you
for each and every
household represented here
I pray that you
minister in these households
this week with peace
and joy and hope
I pray for people
who are looking for jobs
that they find jobs
I pray for people
with businesses
that they find clients
and sign contracts
this week
Lord I pray that you
send ever present help
in our time of need
I pray that you
can bring healing
we especially pray
for our brother Ron
who's in the hospital
right now
that you can heal him
completely
from head to toe
that you can comfort
his family
that they can have
a beautiful visit
together this week
Lord we thank you
for him and his friendship
and his involvement
in this church Lord
we just thank you Lord
that you reign over it all
so Lord I pray that you
bless every hand
here this week
I pray that everything
that we set our hands to
is successful and fruitful
and advances your kingdom
I just thank you
for each and every friend
that I have here
in this church
I thank you for these people
and I pray that you
watch over them
and bless them this week
in Jesus mighty name
Amen
