Hope and Assurance in Christ Amidst Trials

this phrase mount zion it's used in the bible as a reference to a few different places it needs to be contextually understood it is used several times to refer to the temple mount if you go to jerusalem and the mount of the temple that the whole thing is elevated the temple mount is sometimes referred to as mount zion in other places mount zion is used as a reference to the temple mount zion is used as a reference to the Jerusalem itself the the place of the people of god we're going to zion that that was a reference to traveling to jerusalem but whenever it's used mount zion typically emphasizes god's presence with his people if they were going up to mount zion to worship why were they going there because inside the temple inside the holy place inside the most holy place was god's throne room on the earth the place where god's presence dwelt on the earth the place where god's presence dwelt on the they were going up to be in the very presence of god as they worshiped and so it's not just a physical place every time we read of mount zion in the bible whether it's in the old testament new testament revelation there is a spiritual reality being communicated about god being with his people [00:17:22] (75 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


i've said this a number of times as we've gone through revelation i'll continue to say it but you need to remember the saints of god are secured in jesus christ this is not a textbook to tell you be afraid this thing may happen unwittingly to you and you'll find out in the end oops i served satan this is a reminder that you if you belong to god through faith in jesus you are sealed with the holy spirit you are sealed with the holy spirit you are sealed with the holy spirit you are sealed with the holy spirit as a deposit a down payment of your salvation so that you can be assured all who belong to christ will make it to the last day to the final resurrection to the kingdom of god and will remain unstained by the beast in all of his attacks the beast is going to attack we just two chapters of that right all the heinous attacks of the beast but he will not finally overcome a single one of god's people [00:42:00] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


now these saints of god these 144 000 people of god who've trusted in christ they're they're called up to heaven they they're suffering in this life for sure because satan's attacking he's angry he knows this time is short that they're there but what are they doing they have a song of victory on their lips it's a song of victory on their lips it's a song of victory on their lips it's a song of victory in their hearts it's overflowing out of them it's this beautiful wonderful mighty powerful song that they're singing john hears it and it's amazing and there is a little bit of practical import for us today i want to try and make this practical for you for a second how helpful can a song be today in helping the people of god keep their hearts and their minds focused on the lamb tell me something is it easier for you to memorize the declaration of independence or a pop song on the radio which one of those catches up in your head a little bit right anybody want to come quote the declaration of independence in its entirety to me that's a challenge right but but if i called you up here and said just tell me a tell me your favorite song tell me the lyrics to it guess what almost every single one of you except for the ones who'd be scared to death to stand up here could walk through and just share the whole thing right or what about this if you grew up a while back like i did and in the old -fashioned church and we sang great hymns of the faith hundred year old hymn sometimes five hundred thousand year old hymns do you ever lose those takes about three or four notes right and then all of a sudden it's there a repository of truths about god have been imprinted and implanted into your mind [00:26:48] (102 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


in the midst of revelation 12 13 14 and 15 i'm going to sing a little bit of heaven for you 15 15 there's a great battle happening it's a cosmic battle remember when we got to 12 i said this is the real star wars right this is the battle between the dragon and the angels of heaven there's this great battle unfolding so when it comes time to depict the people of god and what they're doing surprisingly to me not a military strategist but a person who's read a history book or two it does not depict the people of god taking up arms to war against the dragon he doesn't say they have spirit he doesn't even use paul's ephesians language of the the sword of right the sword of the spirit he doesn't even use the armor of god instead what are the saints of god doing they are worshiping they're not warriors they're worshipers because god is fighting the battle and winning the victory already sometimes christians today get so caught up and wanting to fight some kind of fight with somebody else around them it be another follower of christ or an unbeliever a lost and dying world they're so busy fighting they leave aside the worship of the god who's already accomplished the victory and the scripture just kind of pictures the saints is just singing their way to the end right they're just singing the doxology until jesus comes back and it's all said and done am i telling you not to stand for the truth and have on it absolutely not but i'm telling you that if you're bent is to argue with people about every little thing and get so wrapped up and warring for a culture that's dying according to the scriptures maybe a little more worship is in order maybe a little bit more focusing your heart on god and what he's done and what he's doing and a little less focus on what we can accomplish today by our human strength [00:31:58] (119 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


these 144 000 have not sullied themselves with idols even though it costs them greatly they are suffering because they're not marked by the beast they can't go do business with the kingdoms of this world they're cut off separated but they are separated for a purpose so he says they've kept themselves pure they've not been defiled with women they're virgins but then there's a positive description that follows that it's a positive description that follows that it's a positive description that follows that it's they they keep themselves from idols but also they follow the lamb you see the language here he says it is these who follow the lamb wherever he goes [00:37:06] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


or as we read about a dozen times in the book of first john written by this very same guy if you love me you'll keep my commandments right that's what jesus said and john says that if you love god you'll show it by your obedience to his commands it's simple he's saying look they've not they've not corrupted themselves with the idols of this world and they follow jesus wherever he goes and wherever he leads them does jesus go through suffering he does that's kind of the whole story of the new testament is it not and his people follow right with him through that suffering why does jesus get raised from the dead he does and do his people get raised also they do so they follow the lamb wherever he goes they obey him two depictions keep yourself pure from idols follow jesus sounds like a really good summary of the christian faith [00:38:24] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


and look at the final way they are described this is amazing in their mouth no lie was found for they are blameless now i want to ask you an honest question is there anybody here who could say that in your mouth no lie was found or that you're blameless never done anything wrong is there any salvation of god from history past to today apart from jesus christ himself who could say that there was no lie found in their mouth and they were blameless that's not a depiction of humans is it who could we describe that way that's only a description of god himself god is the one who has never told lie in fact god is truth right it's not just that he hasn't told god cannot lie he is truth and he is the one who has never told a lie in fact he is the one who has never told a lie he is certainly blameless these are traits of god and god alone he's the only one who's entirely true and entirely blameless so something profound is being said here about the people of god this 144 000 who are set apart from him and who are not sullied with the idols of man as they refuse the advances of the dragon and remain faithful to god they become like god let me say what i said i hope it was a little bit shocking these people of god rescued by faith in jesus christ actually in fact become like god do you know that's what god is doing to you dear follower of jesus he is conforming you to the image of christ that's what the new testament teaches us you will finally one day be entirely sanctified and free from sin good news because if not you'll never be fit to be in heaven you'll never be fit to be in heaven you'll never be fit to be in heaven never be fit for the new heavens and the new earth and that eternal kingdom because it's not going to have any sin or sorrow or suffering or pain or all those things that come because of disobedience to god [00:41:05] (129 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


you must refuse compromise with the kingdoms of this world the kingdom of satan and all the things he's trying to accomplish you must stand with the lamb of god sing your worship to the lamb of god and ultimately be sanctified by the lamb of god and one day when he returns you will find yourself amazingly miraculously victoriously entirely sanctified and free from all sin that's the promise of revelation 14 1 through 5 [00:45:45] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)