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Well, howdy. I'll be reading from Psalm 66 here, so please stand. If it seems like I'm avoiding people today, it's only because I am. It may be stay away from the circumference of the pastor day, not because there's a glow, but because he had the flu last week.

So it wasn't COVID, and I'm certainly on the mend, but just so thank you for being here. Let's go to the Lord. Psalm 66. Shout joyfully to God, all the earth. Sing the glory of his name. Make his praise glorious. Say to God, How awesome are your works.

Because the greatness of your power, your enemies will give feigned obedience to you. All the earth will worship you and will sing praises to you. They will sing praises to your name. Come and see the works of God, who is awesome in his deeds toward the sons of men.

He turned the sea into dry land. They passed through the river on foot. There, let us rejoice in him. He rules by his might forever. He keeps his Eyes, watch on the nations. Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Bless our God, O peoples, and sound his praise abroad, who keeps us in life and does not allow our feet to slip.

Let's pray. Heavenly Father, indeed, we come before you today just to be able to praise your name, to shout joyfully to you, to sing of the glory of your name, and to proclaim just how awesome your works are. As we look upon them around us in creation, we can say, well done, how glorious you are in creation.

And as we look upon the scripture, we can say, well done, how glorious is your nature, how glorious is your character. And as we look upon our own lives and the history of how you've been faithful and shepherded us and taken care of us and provided, we can say, well done, good and glorious shepherd.

You provide, you take care, you are good. And so because of that, we say, how awesome are your works and how grateful we are for them. Father, thank you for this privilege to be able to gather this morning in a beautiful day as we reflect upon the truths of your scripture and see the love that you have for people on display in the faces of people.

Father, we just thank you for this privilege. Thank you for being able to come. Though we are sinners, you have done away with our sin. You have condemned our sin in the flesh of your Son, and because of that, we can come and behold your majesty and worship truly before you in a way that is pleasing to you.

So we confess our sins. We don't want to hold on to them any longer. We want to glorify you, walk in your ways more fully. So thank you, Father, for this morning. Thank you for all that's ahead. Thank you for this day in advance. It's in Christ's name we pray.

Amen. Again, good morning. Please turn in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 19. I want to look back at verse 10 one last time. Revelation chapter 19, verse 10. And really, I want to look at just really the very last phrase. For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.

For the testimony, The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Read the whole verse. Keep in mind what has just happened. The angel has revealed to John all the things happening and the glorious reign of coming Christ and announcing the marriage supper of the Lamb, the hallelujah choruses.

And then verse 10, then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said, Do not do that, for I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. This last phrase is truly a remarkable statement.

For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. It deserves special attention. In fact, it could use maybe even a whole course. It is a remarkable statement, one of those big monumental statements that helps you get a whole paradigm understanding of what Scripture is all about, why it was inspired, those who looked into these things, what they were hearing and what they were seeing.

And those who continue to proclaim these things, what they are proclaiming. It gives us a big picture of what Scripture is all about, what God is all about, and who He is all about. And so I think it's good for us to take another day and just look at this.

What does it mean? What does it mean? For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Well, there's two major interpretive directions you can go on this. In fact, we've already had to deal with that at the very beginning of the book of Revelation. But the first option is it saying, is it referring to Jesus as the main instrument of God's revelation?

In which case, we would translate it like this: for the testimony by Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. You remember way back in Revelation 1:1, the very first words of the book of Revelation, in fact, the title statement, it starts like this: the revelation of Jesus Christ. The revelation of Jesus Christ.

And there we had to spend some time. Is this more objective or subjective? In other words, is it more about Jesus Christ or is it more by Jesus Christ? What is being announced here? Well, certainly at the beginning of Revelation 1:1, the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show to his bondservants the things which must soon take place, and he sent and communicated it by his angel to his bondservant John.

So it's certainly a revelation that originated with God Himself, the Father, gave it to Jesus, who in turn entrusted it to an angel to show it to John. Of course, when you get all the way here in chapter 19, you don't see the angel very much, but you get here John falling down and worshiping at the revelation that he has been given.

But it's clearly something that, so it's clearly Jesus has, is the instrument communicating it. But it's also more, it's the revealing of Jesus Christ. It's the revelation about Jesus Christ. So even though it is by Jesus Christ, comes by agency of him through the angel, it certainly isn't the emphasis.

The second interpretive option is better. Is it referring to Jesus as the main content of God's revelation? Not just the main instrument. Certainly it's by Jesus. But it's about Jesus. So, in which case, the translation would be more like, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

The testimony looking forward to, pointing to, declaring who He is is the spirit of prophecy. So, what this verse is telling us, even in Revelation 1:1, the revelation of Jesus Christ, the book of Revelation is more than just the fact that Jesus is the means to communicate it, but the one it is about.

It is the revealing of Jesus Christ to the world, the revelation of Jesus Christ. And this is exactly how Peter uses this same exact expression. You remember in 1 Peter 1:13, he says, Therefore, prepare your minds for action. Keep sober in spirit. Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

At the revealing of Jesus Christ to the world. So it is best to take this not only by Jesus, but it's about Jesus. The testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And this is evident because the solution has to be consistent for the reasons that the angel just told John not to worship him.

You remember? Verse 10: Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours, and your brethren who hold to the testimony of Jesus worship God. See, the first reason John shouldn't worship the angel is simply because the angel is a fellow slave. And he's a fellow slave with John, to John, and with John, and to all who hold to the testimony of Jesus.

To those who are holding on to the testimony about Jesus, not just the testimony by Jesus. By this time, you've got a whole canon of Scripture. You've got preaching that is testifying to Christ. And they're holding on to what God is. God has testified concerning his son. And this is what's going to get them in trouble with the beast.

But it's to all who hold to the testimony of Jesus. So the emphasis is upon those who have received God's testimony concerning Jesus. Those who are believing God's testimony concerning Jesus. And the question becomes to us today: Have you received God's testimony concerning Jesus, the historic figure who walked among us, the one we celebrate at Christmas?

Have you received God's testimony concerning him? Are you believing in God's witness about Jesus Christ? That's the most important thing about you. Have you received God's testimony? Or do you sit here in skepticism and rejection and pointing your finger at God and calling him a liar? That's the most important thing about.

Have you received God's witness concerning his son? And this is who this angel is serving. He's saying, John, you don't worship me because you and I are both in this together. We are serving those who are holding on to the testimony of Jesus. You remember John chapter 5.

Jesus goes into great lengths talking about how God is witnessing to him. You remember in John chapter 5, Jesus had healed a man at the pool of Bethesda, and it turned all of a sudden into a controversy by what authority are you doing these things, and then a testimony about who Jesus is.

And Jesus says this in John chapter 5, verse 31, he says, If I alone testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies of me, and I know that the testimony which he gives you about me is true. Notice the about me, about me, the testimony about me.

You have sent to John, and he has testified to you the truth, speaking of John the Baptist. But then Jesus goes on to bring another witness to the table. He says in verse 36, but the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John. For the works which the Father has given me to do, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me.

In verse 37, and the Father who sent me has testified of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his form. You do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe him whom he sent. Then he goes on to verse 36, calls another witness.

You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. It is these that testify about me. You see, what God is doing in Jesus Christ, what he is doing through scripture and the very prophetic word itself, he is testifying about Jesus. John the Baptist was in of that same spirit.

The scriptures, the works that Jesus was doing, that the Father had given, were all testimony to the world. Will you receive God's testimony concerning his Son? And wonderful works that he was doing. They were testifying. You see, there's something that God wants people to understand about Jesus. He wants them to understand who he is and what he does.

And those who do, as in Revelation 20, makes very clear, they're the ones who will be resurrected. They will experience eternal life. And look at Revelation, if you're there, Revelation chapter 20, verse 4. Then I saw a Thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given to them.

And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus. I get that. It's because of their testimony about Jesus. Yes, it was by, but it's their testimony about Jesus, that what they were declaring that got them killed. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received a mark on their forehead and on their hand, and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

So the first reason John should not worship the angel supports the idea that the testimony is about Jesus and that the spirit of prophecy is about the testifying to Jesus. The second reason, you look back in our text, why John should not worship the angel is because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

You see, behind every true word about Jesus is a spirit of prophecy. The angel wasn't the embodiment of the truth, but a professor of the truth. Truth and he declared the truth. Now, some translations, very few, capitalize the word spirit, which would indicate the Holy Spirit is ultimately behind the testimony about Jesus.

And in a real sense, this is true, but in the context, I don't think that's what the angel is saying. He's saying, Look, you don't, you and I are of the same guild. We're testifiers to Jesus. We have the same spirit, and that spirit is testifying to Jesus Christ.

You worship God because I am simply one voice among the many who are testifying to Jesus. That's what the angel is saying, and that's why John should not worship him. You see, and then now, as you start stepping back and looking at this statement, it's quite a sweeping statement.

All of the Old Testament prophets were of this spirit. The Old Testament scriptures, those who taught them, those who embraced them, those who embodied them, all of them were. Testifying to the coming of God's Son. And they looked ahead to Christ. They pointed to him and they were in the spirit of prophecy.

Likewise, when you come to the New Testament, and here's Jesus on the scene. The works are testifying. God is testifying to this one, to Jesus Christ, through the works by the Scripture, through the works that he was doing. And then the New Testament apostles pick up that proclamation.

The New Testament prophets, the New Testament authors, and those who proclaim their message about Jesus, and those who receive the message about Jesus, and those who continue to pass on the message about Jesus, stand in this same spirit of prophecy that John and the angel are of. They continue to proclaim what the Old Testament prophets look forward to.

And we continue to proclaim, looking back and looking forward to what's ahead. His first advent testifies to the sureness of his second advent and his coming in power and glory. So, all that to say, it's best to take the phrase, for this testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy as referring to the main content of God's revelation.

Jesus is God's answer. For the public, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit behind every true prophecy and the spirit behind every true minister of God. It is a testimony to Jesus. It's not about exalting self, any other person, any other institution, any gift, self, or anything.

That's how you can tell what true prophecy is about. But ultimately, all that comes from God. But here's the point: Jesus is God's public statement to the world. And that's how I would boil this all down. The statement is so encompassing that it's like God is saying, My answer to the world, my answer to the sinful, fallen.

Issues of this world is Jesus. That's my public statement. His life, his ministry, and what I have communicated to him and through him is my public statement on everything about this sinful, fallen world. That's a massively encompassing statement. Think about it like this. Think about a presidential press conference.

You know what happens? Some major event happens, and then it's like, let's have a press conference. We want to hear what the president has to say. And so you get a press conference, and then you start getting questions. I remember 9-11. Many of you weren't around then. And I remember as soon as the Twin Towers were attacked and destroyed, first thing, press conference.

What does the President have to say? And I remember George Bush. I remember his words. You can also think about October 7th, just recently. Hamas, attack on Israel, press conference. What does the president have to say? Think about the Russia advancing into the Ukraine. Press conference. What does a president have to say?

And so you can think about in this context, this statement is a broad declaration that God's public statement to the world is Jesus. Now, this does not mean that every scripture is a direct reference to Jesus. There have been those who have tried to take scripture and just kind of allegorize it and make even the most off little details somehow speak about Jesus.

No, there's error going down that road. But it does imply that Jesus is God's declaration of himself. It is God's declaration of his ways. And it is God's declaration of his ultimate answer to the sin in this world. That is what this statement means. Jesus is God's public statement to the world.

And the question for all of humanity, for you and me today, as we celebrate again the Advent and the first coming of our Lord. Are you going to receive God's testimony about this child in the manger? In him, you will find God's public statement about all the ailments, anxieties, and atrocities of humanity.

Will you receive God's testimony? Are you receiving God's testimony concerning his Son? Are you holding on to that testimony? Are you letting that mature you? Are you letting that shape who you are? So, in our remaining time this morning, I just want to show you a few examples of how God's public statement concerning the issues that mankind faces are all bound up in Jesus.

How Jesus is God's public statement in something like a press conference. And so, let's think about this for just a moment, and it'll be a fast drive. I'll be reading a lot of scriptures, and I would just recommend. That maybe you jot down the reference and just listen as I read.

It will be a quick wash through a lot of scripture. But all of it testifies that Jesus is God's public statement and what he wants you to hold on to. So, first of all, Jesus is God's answer for the purpose of creation. Regarding creation, you remember Genesis 1.

Let me read to you parts of Genesis 1. Imagine darkness, earth, formless, void. And then all of a sudden, God said, Let there be light. Genesis 1:3. And then God said in verse 6, Let there be an expanse in the waters and let it separate the waters. Verse 9, God said, Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place.

Verse 14, then God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day and the night, and the stars also. Could you imagine if you're witnessing, you're wondering. The angels, or you're seeing all this come into being. This is incredible. Look at these works.

God, how majestic is it? You talk about a news flash. Then God said, Let the waters teem with living things. Verse 24, then God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind. And you can imagine a somewhat watching universe begging the question: What is all this about?

Where is all this going? It is beautiful. It is glorious. It is awesome. Singing for joy. What is it all about? And then these words in Genesis 1:26. Then God said, Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

God is saying this creation masterpiece is set up to sustain the image bearer because the invisible God wants to be seen. And he declares this. Right at the very beginning, humanity is going to bear the very likeness of God Himself. That's the public statement. You see, in creation, there's an owner behind it, there is a purpose for it, there is someone who is responsible to see it through and to make sure it accomplishes what it was intended for.

And there is somebody behind it that is sustaining it forever. And it's the us. Let us, God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit. And we're reminded in Romans 11:36: For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever.

Amen. Romans 8:29, Paul says, For those whom He foreknew, He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. What is He saying? Creation, humanity is going to bear the likeness of Jesus Christ. That's what He's saying.

Jesus is God's purpose for creation. All of mankind will put on thorough Christ-likeness and bear the very image of God. So, Jesus is God's answer for why he created all that we see, all of it around, sustains, is here to be an environment, a habitat for those who will image the invisible God.

Do you believe that testimony? Do you believe God's testimony? For that's what all this is about. Second, about the response to the serpent. Jesus is not only God's public statement to the world concerning the purpose for creation, but also concerning God's response to the serpent. And another epic event happened shortly after creation was the fall of man.

And you can imagine a watching universe. News flash. The serpent has murdered the image-bearer. Where is this going? Remember Genesis 3:4, the serpent said to the woman, You surely aren't going to die. For God knows that in the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Act. Take. He's not good. He wants to keep you down. You must act for your own. You don't need to wait. Go. And then before a watching universe, a press conference, God says this. Genesis 3:14. The Lord said to the serpent, Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field, on your belly you will go, and dust you will eat all the days of your life.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel. You see, God's purpose for creation didn't change. It was not thwarted. Humanity is still going to bear the likeness of God, not the serpent.

And the one from the woman will completely destroy the influence of the serpent. Through the woman, the woman that Satan tricked will come the one who will. Obliterate his influence forever. That's the spirit of the prophecy, pointing to Christ. And then Isaiah 7:14 says this: Behold, a virgin with child will be with child and bear a son, and she will call his name Emmanuel.

Isaiah prophesied it, same spirit. Matthew preached it. Matthew 1:23, Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which translated means God with us. You think about that for a moment. Think about the manger scene. There is nothing more helpless and defenseless than a new baby.

And you think about for the Son of God to empty himself and to become as vulnerable as a little baby, what does that say about his trust and confidence in his heavenly Father? He would have to completely trust. Can you imagine emptying yourself and being so emptied and trusting?

I find the incarnation just one of these things you just can't get your mind around. What the trust, how vulnerable a child is. That's how you know we didn't evolve, by the way. Have you ever seen how helpless a baby is? No, we didn't evolve. Well, you need to.

Anyway, side note: but you think about this: the trust that the Son had in the Father, that he was willing to just come into the world as a little baby, totally dependent upon the Father. That's the kind of trust all redeemed humanity are going to have one day, just so you know.

That's the image. That's the trust he had. That's where we're all going if you're in Christ. Come back to Revelation to our text. I love what happens immediately after this text. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And then look what the angel goes on to open up and say.

And I saw heaven open, verse 11, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called faithful and true. And in righteousness he judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems. And he has a name written on him, which no one knows except him himself.

He is clothed with the robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it he may strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.

And he treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. And on his robe and on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of Lords. And there he is. There's the seed of the woman. Behold, right there, the spirit of prophecy continues.

And there he is. And behold, how he crushes the serpent. Verse 17: Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in mid-heaven, Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.

And I saw the beasts and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against him, who sat on the horse and against his army. And the beast was seized with him, and the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast, and those who were.

Worshiped his image, these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone, and the rest were killed with the sword, which came from the mouth of him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. And then, turn over and look at chapter 20, verse 11.

And the devil who was deceived, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also. And they will be tormented day and night forever. Do you see how God's answer, response to what the serpent did was Jesus?

The public statement. It's like the serpent just murdered the image-bearer. What are you going to do? Jesus. That's my public statement. His life, his ministry, his career. Third, Jesus is not only God's public statement to the world about creation in response to the serpent, but also to the curse upon humanity.

You can imagine this imaginary. Universal press conference. Question being asked: What about the curse upon humanity? We get the curse upon the serpent. What about humanity? And here's God's public statement. Remember in Genesis 12:3, he says this to Abraham: In you, all the families of the earth will be blessed.

Who is going to reverse the curse upon humanity? The same seed in you. All the families, the same one who's going to destroy the influence of the serpent forever is going to be the same one who reverses the curse, removes the curse, and puts blessing. Zechariah 9:9 says this: Rejoice, O greatly, O daughter of Zion.

Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your king is coming to you. He is just and endowed with salvation, humble and mounted on a donkey, even a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of the horse.

Of war will be cut off, and he will speak peace to the nations, and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. There's God's statement, there's the reverse of the curse. It's Jesus. There will be peace upon the earth.

Difficult to see right now, isn't it? But there will be peace upon the earth because there is a manger. And that manger, in that same vein of prophecy, looks forward to the cross. And because there is a cross, there is a resurrection. And because there is a resurrection, there is a second coming.

And because there's a resurrection for one, there's going to be a resurrection for all of God's redeemed. There will be peace with God. There will be peace with each other. Because there will be peace in the heart of every person. Ow, shout for joy, all the earth. Sing glory to his name.

It is magnificent how he is going to accomplish all this. In one name, Jesus. How awesome are your works? Creation is just the very beginning of it. Sorry. Ephesians 1:7 says, In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace.

In him, sin was condemned. In him, sinners can be redeemed. That's God's answer to the curse upon humanity. Revelation 22:1. Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, on either side of the river, was the tree of life, bearing 12 kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

There will no longer be any curse. And the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it. And his bondservants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be upon their foreheads. God, what about the curse? Upon humanity, Jesus is my public statement.

I've got a lot to say on these. I'll be quick. But fourth, not only is Jesus God's public statement to the world about purpose for creation, his response to the murderous activity of Satan, and not only is Jesus God's public statement about the curse of humanity and how that's going to be reversed, but he's also God's answer to Israel's constant defection.

You think about this. Think about this press conference news flash. Think about this after the time that Israel, after all God did to bring Israel out of Egypt and bring them into the land and to settle them in, and he brought about all that he said he was going to bring about.

And then they turn and go down the idolatrous ways of those who were before them. You can imagine the shock to a watching universe. The people you saved out of Egypt have forsaken your ways and have turned to idolatry. Tree of the grossest kind. What are you going to do about it?

What's your statement? Again, Jesus, Ezekiel prophesies it. Listen to what Ezekiel 37, verse 21 says. Say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land.

And I will make them one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel. And one king will be king for all of them, and they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols or with their detestable things or with any of their transgressions, but I will deliver them from all their evil dwelling places in which they have sinned and will cleanse them, and they will be my people, and I will be their God.

And then he goes on to say, This, my servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd, and they will walk in my ordinances, and keep my statutes, and observe them. They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob my servant, in which your fathers lived, and they will.

They will live on it, they and their sons and their sons, sons forever. And David, my servant, will be prince forever. And I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst forever.

My dwelling place also will be with them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. And the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel when my sanctuary is in their midst forever. Ezekiel prophesied that. That's what's coming in Israel's future.

And Matthew preached it. Matthew 1:20, but when he, Joseph, had considered putting Mary away, an angel appears to him, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

But it's not just Israel, it's all sinners that he will save from their sins. That is God's answer to Israel's defeat. Jesus, which so happens to be the same answer for every sinner, Jesus. Jesus is also God's public statement to the lies that are still believed today. If you remember back to the garden, there were many lies that were told or insinuated, implied.

Lies are his weapons, and it is his lies that he uses to destroy people, to cut people off from people, to cut people off from God. And many of these lies are still being circulated today. You can hear it. You remember, first of all, and I'm going to go quickly, one of the first lies that was implied in Satan's attack is that God is not good.

Here's God's public statement, John 10:14. I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me, even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. Revelation chapter 7, 16 says this: They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore, nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat, for the lamb in the center of the earth.

Of the throne will be their shepherd and will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes. No, God is good. His public statement, Jesus. About another lie: God does not love you. We hear that. Here's God's answer: John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. He gave his only, unique, precious, beloved Son. He loves you. If you're looking for another public statement about how much God loves you, it's not getting any deeper than that.

It's not getting any more profound than that. Another implied lie: you must control your own destiny. God doesn't have this thing. You've got to take matters in your own hand. Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew 11, 28. Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. You see, the truth is, when you contemplate Who Jesus is and what he has done and what he has said, you realize we can wait upon the Lord.

He's got this thing. Not only can I wait upon the Lord, I can rest while I'm waiting in him. I don't have to control my own destiny. That'd be catastrophic. Another one. Heard this one. God will not forgive you. God is not going to accept you. Maybe for someone else, but not you.

Again, find the answer in Jesus. John 6:37, all that the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me, I will certainly not come cast out. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I myself will raise him up the last day.

Yeah, he will forgive. The question is: whose testimony are you going to receive? Are you going to receive Jesus', God's testimony about Jesus, or are you going to receive other people's testimony about Jesus? That's the most important thing about you. Are you going to accept God's testimony? Well, another lie, we could be here all day, but I'll end with this one: God is not God.

That was kind of the implied attack. God is not God. Philippians 2, 9 says this, For this reason also, God highly exalted him, Jesus, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of those who are in heaven and on the earth and under the earth.

Yeah, God is God, and it's going to be evident because every knee is going to bow to Jesus Christ. Everyone. It's interesting is just how he brings it all together at the very end in the picture of the new heavens and the new earth. Listen to this in verse chapter 21 of Revelation.

Then I saw a new heavens and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and he will dwell among them, and they shall be his people. And God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will no longer be any death, there will no longer be any mourning or crying, for the first things have passed away.

Yeah, God is God. You see, Jesus is God's answer, it's His public statement to the world concerning all the issues of life. You see, because you know who Jesus is? Jesus is the revelation of God Himself. This book is about God, and the revealing of God Himself is the answer to all of our issues.

And He reveals Himself in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Beware that you do not have an unbelieving heart. There is no other sign that's going to be given. The sign of Jonah has already been given. Do you believe the Spirit of the prophets? The one who is testifying to all of these receive God's testimony about Jesus.

Sing for joy. Exalt him. Declare how marvelous his works are. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the truth that so much is revealed in the person and work of Christ. Father, and it was your desire from the very beginning to reveal yourself to the creatures whom you made.

And that by revealing yourself to the creatures you made, we would come to know you. And by coming to know you, we would be able to put you on display in the things we say and the things we do. We thank you, Father, for the great privilege of being here today, being found in Christ.

And I pray for everyone here today, Father, that you would draw those who are not yet in you, that today would be a day of salvation. Father, and those of us who have walked with you these many years, Father, we just may these truths become more and more precious and give us joy as we look forward to the days ahead and can celebrate, even though the world.

The world just seems to be in gross disarray. We know where it's all going, and we can declare how marvelous are your works. In Jesus' name, amen.