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1:39Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever. And the 24 elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. And the nations were enraged, and your wrath came. And the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward your bondservants, the prophets, and the saints, and those who fear your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth. And the temple of God, which is in heaven, was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple. And there were flashes of lightning, and sounds, and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

2:43Well, during this period between the sixth and seventh trumpet, there was an interlude. We learned several things. First of all, that the blowing of the trumpet, the events of the seventh trumpet, involve days, involve a period of time. Time. The angel swears in the days of the voice of the seventh angel that when he sounds, then the mystery of God is finished. So there's a duration of time. The events involved are bitter and sweet. There is a bitter side to them and a sweet side to them. Christ will reign, he will come in glory.

3:29But there will be a lot of trouble among the earth, the inhabitants of the earth, among God's people. So there's a bitter and a sweet. Also informed that the focal point is going to be the temple in Jerusalem, 42 months, 1,260 days, during which these two witnesses will be there in the midst of this seventh trumpet and the events associated with it, and will be declaring who God is. God will keep his witness. And something will happen at the end of that period.

4:13He will use their witness to turn the hearts of the inhabitants of Jerusalem to him. And these details help us understand this interlude period before the Blowing of the trumpet, help us understand why God isn't just bringing everything to a quick conclusion. That's kind of the way we would want Him to do it. Lord, okay, the end. Boom, it's over. What's next? No, it's a period, it's a period of time because God is doing something, He's accomplishing several things during that period of the blowing of the seventh trumpet. He's accomplishing something good in Israel, the nation of Israel. He's accomplishing something good in the earth. He's also allowing a distinction between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world. He's making a distinction among peoples, he's letting them take the mark. He's going to make it very clear who belongs to him and who doesn't.

5:20So there's a lot of things that are happening during the blowing of this seventh trumpet that require duration. And then the seventh trumpet will further be described by seven balls, seven bowls of judgment. You remember the seven seals? When he opened the seventh seals, then all of a sudden seven trumpets show up. And then when he gets to the seventh trumpet, here in a little bit, seven bowls will appear. And in them, the wrath of God is finished.

5:57You may also remember that we. The seventh seal was opened, there was silence in heaven for about a half hour. And a couple more revelations were given so to prepare the reader for what was coming, to be able to understand the trumpets. Well, likewise, here after the trumpet is blown and before the seven bowls, there are several revelations given so that you have the ability to understand what is coming. It prepares the reader for what God is doing.

6:41And so, really, for the next four chapters, there are going to be these details that give you the backstory of this great cosmic conflict between good and evil. So that when the bold judgments come, you know exactly who, why, where, and when, and for what reason the judgment of God is coming. Actually, if you just do a count of the chapters, it's clear that there's more time, space, prophetic revelation about the seventh trumpet than there is the other trumpets and the other seals combined. So you get to this seventh trumpet. Seventh trumpet, and you realize there's a lot here.

7:35And so this morning we want to look at this startling announcement that we just read: that the kingdom of God has come with the blowing of the seventh trumpet. And why is it startling? Well, because we're only halfway through the book. We would expect this statement to maybe happen at the very end of the book. Instead, it happens really right in the middle of it. And so, I want us to this morning look at this arrival, this future arrival of God's earthly kingdom, so that we'll be welcoming heaven's king into our hearts, into our lives, and to full reign over us now in our present time. He is coming. He is breaking in. He will rule and reign. That is the future, planet Earth. That is something we should learn from, pay attention to, and let him rule and reign over us now.

8:51It's exciting and a perfect Resurrection Day text. The resurrection. Has a future. It has an implication for the future, and that's in the seventh trumpet. We'll see this morning. So, I'm going to look at first the seventh trumpet. And the first thing it does is it announces the arrival, or it is the arrival of God's kingdom. Look back at verse 15. Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever. Notice, the kingdom of the world has become, it has entered into a new state of being, it has become something it was not. And from this point forward, it enters into a new state. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.

10:08And he will reign forever and ever. That is, he will be king. He will exercise dominion over. He will have complete control over. He will reign forever and ever into the ages of the ages. I love that expression, forever, into the ages. Ages of the ages, he will reign. As this age comes to a conclusion and the breaking in of a new age, a new state for planet Earth, he will reign forever and ever. But there's something to pay attention here.

10:54The arrival of the kingdom is certainly yet to come. And just a casual reading reveals that the kingdom of this world is not the kingdom of God. Do you see that distinction? The kingdom of the world is antagonistic to the kingdom of the Lord and his Christ. Two different kingdoms. And the kingdom of this world is very different. The kingdom of this world has its own king, has its own ruler with his own goals. The kingdom of this world has its own value system, has its own ranks, has its own kind of works, has its own overall character. The kingdom of God is very different from the kingdom of this world. Make that distinction in your brain because it makes it a distinction right here in the text.

11:58Two are very different. The kingdom. It's a realm. The kingdom of this world is a realm where Jesus is not welcome. Oh, he's still sovereign. He's sovereign as God. But he is not the world's preferred king. They are in rebellion to him. Hearts don't gravitate to him. They gravitate away from him. They oppose him. And Jesus referred to him as the ruler of this world in several places. In fact, it is the ruler of this world. He says in John 14:30, that is coming and is ultimately behind the crucifixion.

12:50Oh, he's sovereign. He's just not loved. He's sovereign over. He's not loved in the kingdom of this world. But that's going to change. The kingdom of the world is going to become the kingdom of our God and his Christ. Let me tell you something about this world ruler. We already know much about him. His character is that of disobedience, that of rebellion. Paul referred to him as the prince and power of the air. Ephesians 2:1, and you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you fall. Formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

13:41His characteristic is one of disobedience. He works in the minds and hearts of people on the earth, and he produces sons of disobedience. But it's also very clear that this ruler of this kingdom of the world hates humanity. Just mentioned in the demonic forces released in Revelation 9, make it very clear that he enjoys tormenting and killing humanity. This is the prince of this world. Who do you serve today? If you do not know Christ, you serve this prince.

14:20He's like, no, I don't. I serve myself. Yeah, that's exactly the spirit of the prince. Autonomy. I know more than God, and I will not bow down before him. That is the spirit of the ruler of this world. In fact, Jesus said he's the one that's, he was a murderer from the beginning. And in his day and age, in John 8:44, he speaks to the religious leaders who look from all outside appearances as very religious and devout men. And yet, Jesus calls him out and says, you're just like your father. He was a man-killer from the very beginning. And your desire is to kill me. And all I've done is good works in your presence.

15:16Well, this kingdom of the world has a history, a long history. Let me tell you when it began. Genesis 3:6, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate, and she gave also to her husband, and he ate. You know where this kingdom began? It began with man thinking that he knew more than God, exalting himself, his fleshly desire over what God specifically said. When it came down to is it your fleshly desire that's going to rule or God's principle that's going to rule, who are you going to obey? And this is where this kingdom of the world begins.

16:13Man thinking, I know more than God. I will pursue what I want regardless of what he says. And that's where it begins. And this kingdom is going to mature. It began in Genesis 3:6. One of us are born into this kingdom. It will mature in its rebellion and final stand against God, but it ends with the blowing of the seventh trumpet. It spans the whole of human civilization. The kingdom of this world. Do you belong to it?

16:58Whose spirit do you bow down to? God's or your own? Well, the kingdom of the world, if you look back at verse 15, the end of it becomes the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ. Our Lord speaks of God here. It is the kingdom of God and his Christ. And wow, what a difference is this king. Contrast him with the ruler of this world. God's king, his Christ, loves humanity and he exhibits goodwill towards them.

17:39He is the good shepherd. Listen to his own words. The thief comes only to steal and to kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Do you see a lover of humanity here? John 10:10. Matthew 11, 20. 28, listen to again the words of God's king. Come to me, all 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. That's the king.

18:28Shepherd, the good shepherd. But notice, it has become. With the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ. It's a complete takeover. It has become. It will be a complete takeover in length, in breadth, and in thoroughness. In fact, he would not be good if it was anything short of it. A change of world order is needed. Rulers are going to change. Politics are going to change.

19:20All of antichrist structures will be shattered, as Psalm 2 is Psalm 2 says. But think for a moment. About this kingdom. It's been spoken about the kingdom of God. It's been spoken of just as long as the kingdom of the world came into being. There is this kingdom of God, city of God, place where God dwells. But imagine for just a moment a world where the redeemed of all nations and all time periods of those nations come alive and together in order to reign with Christ upon the earth.

20:12Pretty impressive. Think about that for a moment. That is the kingdom, the arrival of God's kingdom. Next, I want you to see three responses to it. The blowing of the trumpet. There's also three responses to the arrival of God's kingdom. Verse 16. And the 24 elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give thanks to you, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.

21:02Heavenly worship. First response is that of heavenly worship. Thanksgiving. We are thanking you. It's present. We are thanking you. The worship leaders in heaven, the 24 elders. We see them again. They've been leading worship throughout in chapter 4 and chapter 5, and now we see them again leading the worship in heaven, prostrating themselves, throwing themselves down on their face. We are giving you thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty One, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.

21:40You have taken it. Oh, yeah, He has power, He is sovereign, He is God. But now there is a point at which He takes up His power over the earth in a unique way, in a renovating way. You know, when we bought the house that we currently live in, we did some house shopping. You know, the routine if you've been down this road. You look for a house, you find it, and then you start thinking about how you're going to renovate it. And that's exactly what we did. We bought one, we looked at this house. Nancy started getting some great ideas, started lining up some contractors, getting everything in place. She had a plan to completely renovate. Our house, and so we went and we bought the house. And just like any house, we went in and renovated it. But you know when the actual point began? It was when we closed the deal. There was a plan in place, but then we went to the title company and we closed the deal and we took the keys. And at that point, contractors started coming in and renovating it to our liking. Well, that's exactly a picture of what's going to happen. At this point in time, with the seventh trumpet being blown, it's like, okay, the deal is closed. I'm taking the keys. Renovations on planet Earth are about to get underway.

23:19A new order coming in, but the beginning of the reign has already started. And it's going to begin by moving out a demolition plan and a reconstruction plan. It's not hard to understand. I think we've lived through this scenario. But the text is very clear with this. In a new way, God has begun with the sounding of the trumpet to exercise his authority over earth. And it's going to be through willing subjects. But first, you're going to have the removal of the unwilling subjects.

24:06But something new is coming. The universe is going to behold God in a new way. The universe, we have seen how God interacts with the human, with fallen humanity, rebellious, stubborn, fallen humanity. That has been the character of this age. But in the next age of the ages to come, unwilling hearts are going to be removed. We have seen him deal with the fallen world. We have seen his patience. We have seen his mercy, his justice, his sovereignty, and his limitations put on evil.

24:51But we've never seen him deal with the redeemed world, where you don't have the stubbornness of humanity. There is an age when the stubbornness of humanity is over, when he is welcomed as king, thoroughly in the hearts, and what humanity produces is that in accord with what pleases God the most, all the creative energies, all of the intellect, everything toward good. And we're going to see God interact with humanity. We've seen his mercy. We've seen His grace. We've seen so much about Him. And then we're going to see His bountiful blessings beyond human imagination. We're going to see His beauty and realize the potential of what His creative mind is going to bring about.

25:58We have seen the character and disposition of earthly kingdoms, they're all pretty much alike. Soon we'll behold that of a heavenly kingdom in the ages to come. So, the first response is that of heavenly worship, and the angels are thankful. God is going to, He has taken that authority, that power, and now renovations, a new world, new order. But that's there's a second response to it, and that's earthly fury. There's heavenly worship, but then look, verse 18 and notice, and the nations were enraged.

26:51The nations were enraged. Very different response. In response, To God and his Christ taking their power and beginning to reign, the nations were enraged. There is an international wrath in response. International wrath. That's the response of earth. I mean, this is what sin does: it blinds, it kills. You think about how wrong it is, how magnificently evil it is to tell the Creator of the world that he has no right or part of his creation, that he has no right to be in our lives, that he has no part in our lives, he has no prerogative to enjoy fellowship with his creation in the world that he made.

28:02How preposterous, how wrong. Listen, if I were to give you a pack of bubblicious chewing gum and say, Hey, let's you and I go sit down on a curb and let's just chew some of this wonderful gum together. Can I have a piece? And you said, No, that's my gum. You've heard this story. Before. My gum. What's wrong with that picture? If I bought you a pack of gum so that you and I could sit down and enjoy it together, and I gave you some and I just wanted a piece so that we could enjoy it together. What would be wrong with that? Absolutely nothing. What would be wrong with you if you wouldn't share that and give it back to me? Something very wrong with you.

28:58Well, that's the picture here. Creation shaking their fist at God and said, You have no right to rule here. You have no right to want to enjoy your creation or fellowship with your creatures? That is magnificently evil. What about you? Do you think God has a right over your life? Yes, he does. He wants to fellowship with you? Does he have a right? Yes, he does. He created you. And how evil it is to say, no, you have no part with me. That's earthly fury.

29:52Listen, you will never reign with him unless he reigns in you. Let me tell you about his reign. Let me tell you about how Christ reigns. What is the spirit of Christ? He overcame the flesh. That's his spirit. He obeyed God over the dictates of his flesh, even in the most extreme circumstances. That's the spirit of the coming king. Complete obedience to the heavenly Father. And if you're going to reign with him, guess what? You're going to learn that spirit.

30:39You can reign with him now by putting down the deeds of your flesh, by turning to him and letting him reign. That's what ruling with him is in this present age. But even in the age to come, it starts there. He is going to reign thoroughly. And unless he, you can never reign with him unless he reigns in you. Because that's what walking with him is about. Well, there's a third response: heavenly worship, earthly wrath, but then there's God's wrath. Look back at verse 18. And the nations were enraged, and your wrath came.

31:28The last trumpet. It's going to be a time of international wrath against God and his Christ, and it's going to be a time of God's wrath against the unrepentant inhabitants of the earth. Read Psalm 2 a little bit ago. Oh, God is, he has established his king. He expects him to rule and reign, and he will terrify the nations in their wrath. As the nations take a stand against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us. He who is in heaven laughs. He says, I will speak to them in his anger and terrify them in his fear. And he says, You are my son, and I have begotten you.

32:27Now, kings, show discernment. Do homage to the Son. The human heart, your heart, my heart, is a microcosm of this whole principle. And if you're going to reign with him, you know what first has to go? The unwilling spirit within you has to move out before the willing spirit can move in and take hold and reign in power. So, even though we're talking about something in the future, it has profound implications for us right now. It tells us about who he is.

33:11Your unwilling spirit needs to move out before the willing spirit can move in. But this is exactly why you see these three responses: there's heavenly worship, there's international wrath, and then there's God's wrath. Same word, play on words. But this is why judgment inevitably comes with the arrival of God's kingdom. So, as we look at the third, see this judgment that comes with it. Look back at verse 18. And the nations were enraged, and your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged.

33:55Time for judgment came. Word for judged here takes the idea of being separated, to consider, to look upon, to separate into categories. It's the idea of distinction. And so, the arrival of God's judgment comes for the dead to be judged. The dead could be specifically the spiritually dead only, and that would be connected to those who are spiritually dead. Dead at the time of Christ, and then connected to the time to destroy, destroy those who ruined the earth. Or it could be a reference to the saints who died and now and then connected to the reward, because there's two aspects of this judgment: it's the time to reward and the time to destroy. We'll look at those in just a moment. It's a time to reward, time to destroy. Or this idea of the dead being judged is a general statement that judgment is to come. I think it's best to take that. Several things are going to happen as the trumpet sounds. There's going to be distinctions made, judgments made that further clarify who God's people are, who takes the mark, who doesn't. But it's clearly, we don't left wondering because there's two verbs here that connect it. The time came for the nations, for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward, and the time to destroy. So that it's clearly both general. It's not a reference, at least specifically, to the great white throne judgment. Judgment involves the final condemnation of sinners to the lake of fire. The time here, as I've already said, is more to the events. General reference to the events that are going to distinguish and separate Satan's people from God's people. Citizens from the kingdom of the world and the citizens of the kingdom of God. Goats, different from the sheep. And this moment has long been anticipated in Scripture.

36:33Preached by Peter, Acts 10:42, and he ordered us to preach to the people and solemnly testify that this is the one who has been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. You know that whole parable of the wheat and tares, Matthew 13:30. Jesus says in that story, allow both to grow together until the harvest. And in the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up, but gather the wheat into my barn. Tares are going to be pulled out, all the stumbling blocks, they're going to be removed, and then gather the wheat into the barn.

37:17The tares, what happens? Evil thoughts turn into evil deeds, which then turn into evil people who then produce evil deeds. And so, what happens? There are two aspects of this judgment. Look back at verse 18. It's a time to reward. The time of judgment is the time to reward. Do you see that in verse 18? Time to reward your bondservants, the prophets, the saints, and those who fear your name, small and great. It's not getting into the details, but saying who? Your bondservants, the prophets, the saints, those who fear your name. All categories, small and great. The time to reward them. This too has been taught about a lot in Scripture. You remember Jesus, Matthew 28:8, he says, When evening came in one of his parables, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group first.

38:27You know, your kindnesses to the church is the way you show kindness to God's kingdom. Your service and kindnesses to the church, the next door to heaven, those who've come under the kingdom of God in a spiritual way is the way you show kindness to God's coming kingdom. You can account, I can assure you, every act of kindness toward God's people. Will be rewarded abundantly. So, this judgment, time for the nations to be judged, a time to reward, but then it's a time to destroy. Look back at verse 18, and time to destroy those who destroy the earth.

39:20To ruin those who ruin the earth. It's the idea. There are those who ruin earth. We're not talking about the environment, we're talking about those people who cause earth to be a rough place to live. You know, paradise can be ruined by evil people. Oftentimes, we see travel banned to some of the most beautiful spots in the world because evil people do evil things, and paradise can be messed up by the actions of evil people. I think most of us who've raised children would agree with this statement. I would prefer to raise my family in a barren wasteland among good people over a paradise among people who would harm my children.

40:21And what God, there's coming a time when God is saying, enough. I am fed up with those who are ruining the earth. This too has been spoken about by Jesus in Luke 19:27 in another parable. He says it like this: But these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence. Well, then look back, and you can see a couple of heavenly signs here. Verse 19: two signs show up: a sign of reward and blessing, and a sign of wrath and destruction. Look at verse 19. And the temple of God, which is in heaven, was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple.

41:16Yeah, this event hasn't taken place yet. This is not a metaphor for the church age. It depicts a time when that temple of God seen, when understood, this depiction of the fulfillment of all of God's promises. He has the words. He remembers every word. That ark, that presence. It was where the last will and testament or the covenant was kept. God knows every one of his promises. Jesus said, not one jot or tittle will pass away until all is fulfilled. And we have these words. Kept for us, but it also depicts God's presence.

42:08God's presence, the ark, the presence. This is the inner sanctum. It speaks of his dwelling place. And now it becomes visible. And Revelation 21:3, looking ahead, 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. It is a depiction of God's promises to fulfill and God's coming presence. But then there's also this sign of wrath and destruction, verse 19. And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

42:59Judgment. Well, our time is getting from us, and I want to allow some time to celebrate the Lord's table this morning. But I wanted you to see this future arrival of God's earthly kingdom so that we would be welcoming his kingdom now, welcoming his king. This is what we should be praying for. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. But he is coming. Certain. And one of the things about the Lord's table, 1 Corinthians 11, 26 says this: For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

44:01There is a connection to the celebration of the Lord's table and his second coming. And we have been looking at this seventh trumpet this morning. The seventh trumpet, the arrival of God's kingdom. We've been looking at it. Now I want to put this into perspective with the rest of human history. Just for a moment. I want to draw your attention to four points of interest that pretty much tell the whole of human history, at least during this age. Four points: the tree, the cross, the tomb, and the seventh trumpet. First, the tree, and I'm talking about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And when you put these four, Together, they tell the story of how God came to reign in the hearts of humanity upon earth. We have the whole prophetic history laid out before us, even though it hasn't come yet. There is a time when we will look back and understand the whole of prophetic history to be what I am disclosing to you. The tree, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, what was its testimony? Man will die. Man will die.

45:35Man will be cursed by God. Man who thinks he knows more than God will die. He will be cursed by God. There will be no image-bearer, no union with God, no dominion over the earth. That's what the tree tells us. And even with the promise of the one who would crush Satan's power, things looked pretty bleak. But then let your attention to the cross. What does the cross say? Man can be forgiven. Man can be forgiven. God can be both just and justify sinners. That's what the cross tells us.

46:33Let me take you to the empty tomb. What does that tell us? Man will live again. Man will live again. Man will live again in union with God. The tree tells us that man will die. The cross tells us man will be forgiven. The empty tomb tells us that man will live again in union with God. You know what the seventh trumpet tells us? Man will reign with God upon the earth. There will be an image-bearer.

47:13This is the inspired record of human history. And in the ages of the ages to come, as we're looking back, this is how we will remember it. We will have learned the difference between good and evil. And we will shun in our hearts to the very horrors of our being that we would ever do anything that would offend our king. How did that come about? From the tree, from the cross, the tomb, and the seventh trumpet.

47:48This is the inspired record of human history. Would the men come forward? We were going to give out the Elements. I want you to ponder just a moment as they're distributing these elements here. Just a moment. We're going to take the bread. The bread tells us about the one who came from heaven. He took upon a real body, real flesh. He was the bread from heaven. And he laid down that body because he took the wrath, the cup. The cup signifies the wrath. Let me tell you about the wrath. When Jesus is in the garden and he is agonizing, let this cup pass from me. What was he talking about? He had to drink from the cup of wrath, but the cup that we drink is different.

49:02He had to drink the cup of wrath so that we could have the cup of blessing. And he took that cup. The fury that we are just reading about in the seventh trumpet that's going to be poured out on all peoples who do not embrace Christ, who oppose his kingdom, he pours out his full wrath upon this cup. And Jesus drinks it. He drank the cup of wrath completely. And when it came my time to drink the cup, I look in there, every drop is gone.

49:42That's the story of the cross. Every bit of it. And so I pick up the cup, and guess what I drink? The cup of blessing. He drank the cup of wrath so that you and I could drink the cup of blessing. One from heaven, God's Son, came down, took upon flesh so that he could lay it down, so that he could sacrifice, so that he could take in himself the full fury of God's wrath. Every last bit.

50:15And so this morning, and guess what? Who in the world could ever take on the whole wrath of God and live? Only the perfect, innocent, righteous Son of God Himself. And don't let anybody ever tell you that His sacrifice isn't sufficient. It took it all. And so think about that as pray, as the elements are being passed, and then we'll hold on to them and we'll take them together. We celebrate an open communion here, so if you've put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you're welcome to take.

51:00But be serious about this. Don't approach this as somebody who is opposing his kingdom. Take these elements as one who welcomes his reign over your life thoroughly and in every way. And confess, say, Lord, I'm not where I want to be with this. Forgive me, even as the elements are being passed around. But if that's you, if you want his rule and his reign, take, take. It's for you. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time. We thank you for the truth. We thank you for your work in human history to bring about complete obedience upon planet Earth and what a wonderful future, heavenly future, awaits your people in the ages and the ages to come. Father, this moment we reflect, we welcome your rule and your reign.

51:59Forgive us for our sins. Help us to come more and more this morning under your jurisdiction. In Christ's name. Amen. Has everybody been served? Good. Read to you from 1 Corinthians 11, verse 23. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus, in the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

56:43In the same way, he took the cup also after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this Bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Let's pray. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, once again we come before you, thanking you for the blessings we have received in this new covenant in Messiah's blood.

57:27What a good shepherd. Father, we thank you for him. We thank you for his ministry. We thank you for his kindness. We thank you for all that he says about you. We know that he is in every way someone to be delighted in. As you yourself said, this is your beloved Son, in whom you are well pleased. Father, help us to be more and more well pleased with him as you are. Help us to more and more come under his jurisdiction and welcome your reign in our lives through your Messiah. We thank you for his ministry. We thank you for the cross. We thank you for the promises. We thank you for all that's laid ahead. Father, we thank you for all this in Jesus' name. Amen.