{"id":18966,"date":"2018-10-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-21T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sugar-land-bible-church.local\/sermon\/revelation-018-christs-present-session\/"},"modified":"2018-10-21T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-10-21T05:00:00","slug":"revelation-018-christs-present-session","status":"publish","type":"sermon","link":"https:\/\/slbc.org\/es\/sermon\/revelation-018-christs-present-session\/","title":{"rendered":"Revelation 018 – Christ’s Present Session"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","book":[111],"series_event":[490],"sermon_service_type":[472],"speaker":[6],"class_list":["post-18966","sermon","type-sermon","status-publish","hentry","book-revelation","series_event-revelation","sermon_service_type-main-service","speaker-dr-andy-woods","no-post-thumbnail"],"acf":{"sermon_title":"Revelation 018 - Christ's Present Session","sermon_date":"20181021","sermon_month":"10","sermon_year":"2018","sermon_notes":6145,"sermon_slides":6147,"sermon_mp3":6149,"sermon_id":"10211883191","series_or_event":490,"service_type":[472],"speaker":6,"books_of_the_bible":111,"chapter_and_verse":"3:21-22","sermon_transcript":"Andy Woods\n\nChrist\u2019s Present Session \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a010-21-18\n\nRevelation 3:21:22\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lesson 18\n\nGood morning everybody.\u00a0 The title of our message this morning is Christ\u2019s Present Session.\u00a0 We have been in the Book of Revelation, that middle section of the book, chapters 2 and 3, where Jesus has been addressing seven churches in the Asia Minor Area: Ephesus, the loveless church, Smyrna, the persecuted church, Pergamum, the compromised church, Thyatira, the corrupt church, Sardis, the dead church, Philadelphia, probably the highpoint of the letter, the missionary church, and then finally we\u2019ve looked at, at least most of it, which we hope to finish today, Laodicea, the man-centered church.\n\nHere\u2019s our outline that we\u2019ve been following for the letter to Laodicea; the destination, of course, is Laodicea. There\u2019s where it appears on the map.\u00a0 And Christ has described Himself to this church a particular way: He\u2019s called the Amen, the Faithful, the True witness and The source of creation itself.\u00a0 And then you\u2019ll notice the words commendation, what the church was doing well, except you don\u2019t see any verses there for that.\u00a0 Jesus here deviates from His normal way of speaking to each church; each church He tries to comment\u2014not so Laodicea because they had become very man-centered.\u00a0 In fact, the name Laodicea, as we\u2019ve talked about, literally means the people ruling.\u00a0 And what had happened in Laodicea is the dictates of humanity were controlling the church.\u00a0 Jesus, as we\u2019ll see in a moment, is literally outside the door of that particular church.\n\nSo He launches into, verses 15-17 a rebuke; He rebukes them for their lukewarmness, He actually says this whole scenario makes me nauseous, and He says the problem with them is they have become so prosperous they don\u2019t need God any more.\u00a0 And if that weren\u2019t bad enough they didn\u2019t even know their own spiritual condition, they were blind to their own spiritual condition, a tragic thing that is happening here in this particular congregation.\u00a0 [Revelation 3:15-17, \u201c\u2018I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. [16] So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. [17] Because you say, \u201cI am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,\u201d and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.\u201d]\n\nSo He gives them an exhortation in verses 18-20, there are some things they need from Jesus; they need gold, or a trial, white garments, eye ointment, they need to get their zeal back, they need to repent, and verse 20 says they need to restore fellowship.\u00a0 [18] I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that<\/em> the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. [19] \u2018Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. [20] \u2018\u2018Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.\u201d]\n\nAnd this is where, verse 20, Christ is portrayed as standing outside the door of the church knocking wanting to get in. Sadly verse 20 is typically used to communicate evangelism and yet the context here is not evangelism, it is broken fellowship.\u00a0 These people are still saved (as I\u2019ll show you in a minute) but their moment by moment enjoyment of God has been broken because of unconfessed sin.\u00a0 They need to exercise their right under 1 John 1:9.\u00a0 [1 John 1:9, \u201cIf we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\u201d]\u00a0 More on that a little later.\n\nAnd now we move into verse 19, at least the first part of the verse; the second part of verse 19 and all of verse 20 we covered last week, but let\u2019s go back just for a minute to the beginning part of verse 9 where he articulates for them a consequence if they don\u2019t repent.\u00a0 He says, verse 19, \u201cThose whom I love I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.\u201d\u00a0 Almost every commentator I could find on my bookshelf and I\u2019ve got a lot of books on my bookshelf by the way, says that these are unsaved people here.\u00a0 The reason they\u2019re unsaved is because no Christian could be acting this way.\u00a0 Part of the problem is they\u2019re coming from a very aggressive Calvinistic angle. One of the tenants of Calvinism is the P in the pneumonic T-U-L-I-P, the Perseverance of the saints.\u00a0 If you truly are a child of God then there has to be increasing fruit in your life.\u00a0 If that\u2019s not happening then maybe you were never saved to begin with; maybe you were never one of the elect!\n\nAnd so because people have got into this theological system of Calvinism they take wayward Christians that are described in the Bible and they simply convert those to unbelievers.\u00a0 You\u2019ll notice that Jesus never says to these people you need to receive Christ for salvation.\u00a0 He never tells them to trust in the provision of Jesus Christ for purposes of salvation.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because these people are saved.\n\nIt is interesting that the Bible talks about three kinds of Christians, the spiritual, the carnal, and the babes.\u00a0 The world, according to the apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, is divided into two, believers and unbelievers.\u00a0 [1 Corinthians 3:1-3, \u201cAnd I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. [2] I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it.<\/em> Indeed, even now you are not yet able, [3] for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?]\n\nAnd most people\u2019s thinking is about as simple as that, saved and unsaved.\u00a0 But when you study carefully what the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 what you discover is within the ranks of the saved there are different kinds of Christians.\u00a0 There are those that are spiritual or growing; those that are infants or new Christians, and then you have some that are carnal, continuing over and over again back to the flesh, still saved.\u00a0 And it\u2019s that group, the carnal Christians, that is being addressed here in Revelation 3 in the letter to Laodicea.\n\nYou say well how can you be so sure?\u00a0 Look again at what it says in verse 19, \u201cTo those whom I love I reprove and\u201d what? \u201cdiscipline.\u201d\u00a0 [Revelation 3:19]\u00a0 The concept of discipline does not apply to an unsaved person.\u00a0 The concept of judgment or wrath applies to an unsaved person but the concept of discipline only applies to a saved\u00a0 person.\n\nWhat is divine discipline?\u00a0 What is divine chastisement?\u00a0\u00a0 What it is is the introduction of pain into the life of the believer by God.\u00a0\u00a0 So the next time the believer steps out of line they will associate the momentary pain with that sin and they\u2019ll be less likely to sin.\u00a0 It\u2019s the same reason we discipline our children.\u00a0 A child runs across the street without looking, any parent worth their salt will discipline their child. Why is that?\u00a0 Because the next time they think about running across the street they\u2019re going to associate the pain of discipline with the rebellious act of running across the street and in fact that discipline is for their own good because remembering that pain and keeping them from running across the street without looking may save their life one day.\u00a0 If we can deal like this with our children we should expect God, our heavenly Father to deal this way with us as well.\n\nProverbs 13:24 says, \u201cHe who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently,\u201d not to the point of antagonizing a child but to the point of correcting them so that they stay away from activities that may destroy them.\u00a0 God knows something about sin, He knows what sin will do to us and so He provides divine discipline to keep us away from sin.\n\nThe whole book of Hebrews, chapter 12, verses 5-11 deals with this very subject, the subject of divine discipline.\u00a0\u00a0 [Hebrews 12:5-11, \u201cand you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, \u201cMY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;\u00a0 [6] FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.\u201d\u00a0 [7] It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his<\/em> father does not discipline? [8] But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. [9]<\/a><\/strong> Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? [10] For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us<\/em> for our<\/em> good, so that we may share His holiness. [11] All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.\u201d]\n\nDiscipline itself is a sign of God\u2019s love and ownership over us.\u00a0 I have never once disciplined the neighbor\u2019s children; I\u2019ve thought about it a few times\u2026 [laughter]\u00a0 but I\u2019ve never done that.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because they don\u2019t belong to me, I would have no business disciplining someone else\u2019s child.\u00a0 The reality of the situation is because God loves you and because you belong to Him and you are His child by way of faith, He applies at times in our lives the rod of divine discipline.\u00a0 Sometimes the rod of divine discipline can be very severe.\u00a0 Sometimes it can even involve the premature taking of one\u2019s life.\n\nThis is what was happening in the church at Thyatira you\u2019ll recall.\u00a0 It says there in Revelation 2:22-23, \u201cBehold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness,<\/em> and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. [23] And I will kill her children\u201d that\u2019s pretty severe, \u201cwith pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.\u201d\n\nAnanias and Sapphira were disciplined to the point of death.\u00a0 There\u2019s very little doubt in my mind that Ananias and Sapphira were both saved people and I believe that because the church, Acts 5:11 fell into fear when this happened.\u00a0 [Acts 5:11, \u201cAnd great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.\u201d]\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if the church would be afraid if an unbeliever was killed but one of their own was killed, maximum divine discipline.\n\nThe Corinthians were drunk and disorderly at the Lord\u2019s Table and God moved into that congre\u00adgation with divine discipline. He says in 1 Corinthians 11:30, \u201cFor this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number have fallen asleep,\u201d which is a euphemism, if you will, for death.\u00a0 But then Paul says something very interesting, verse 31, \u201cBut if we judged ourselves rightly we would not be judged.\u201d\n\nThe heart of a parent is never to impose discipline; it\u2019s to warn a child so that child will self-correct so the uncomfortable nature of discipline will not have to be applied.\u00a0 God is the same way with us.\u00a0 It brings Him no delight to bring into our lives the rod of divine discipline and so many times a warning will come and this is the kind of thing that\u2019s happening here in Laodicea.\u00a0 Divine discipline is about to be applied. \u00a0God\u2019s hope, of course is self correction.\n\n1 John 5:16 talks about a sin leading unto death and that sin is never identified, what it was and so therefore everybody always asks me what is it and my answer is I don\u2019t know, but it was something pretty bad.\u00a0 [1 John 5:16, \u201cIf anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.\u201d]\u00a0 And isn\u2019t it interesting how we can avoid these types of disciplinary impositions from God simply by heeding warnings and internally correcting ourselves.\u00a0 This is the consequence which is articulated here to Laodicea if they do not reevaluate and change their man-centered ways. \u00a0And this , verse 20, is why Jesus is outside the door of His church with fellowship broken.\u00a0 [Revelation 3:20, \u201c'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.\u201d]\n\nWe go from verse 19a to two verses that we didn\u2019t cover last week that hopefully by God\u2019s grace we can cover today.\u00a0\u00a0 You say two verses, how long could this be?\u00a0 Well, you\u2019re going to be shocked at the truth that\u2019s found in these verses, particularly verse 21.\u00a0 We have here the promise to the overcomers, verse 21, \u201c\u2018He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.\u201d\n\nNotice what it says, to him \u201cwho overcomes,\u201d and all the way through this series, all the way through these letters we\u2019ve identified the overcomers as saved people.\u00a0 We are overcomers because Jesus is the overcomer and we are related to Him by way of faith.\u00a0 And so these are promises that the Lord typically gives at the end of each letter to encourage the believers that in spite of divine discipline and the uncomfortable nature of trials we are on the winning side of history.\n\nAnd notice what the promise is, verse 21. \u201c\u2026I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.\u201d\u00a0 Question: how many thrones do you see there?\u00a0 If you\u2019re a careful reader of the Bible you\u2019re going to see two thrones.\u00a0 This is very important to understand for reasons I\u2019m going to explain.\u00a0 There is My throne, Jesus speaking and there is the Father\u2019s throne.\u00a0 Now notice as these two thrones are described, notice the change of tense in the verbs.\u00a0 What does it say?\u00a0 \u201cTo him who overcomes, I will grant\u201d that\u2019s the future tense of the Greek verb did\u014dmi<\/em>, \u201cTo him who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne.\u201d\u00a0 Therefore Jesus is not on His throne right now;\u00a0 His throne is\u00a0 yet future. Which throne is that?\u00a0 That\u2019s the Davidic throne, the throne promised to David\u2019s heir.\u00a0 It\u2019s on the earth, it\u2019ll be in Jerusalem during the millennial reign of Christ and you\u2019ll notice that that throne at the present time is unoccupied because that throne, His throne, My throne is put in the future tense.\n\nBut then the verse continues, \u201cas also I have overcame and sat down\u201d now the tense just switched, we move into the aorist tense, something that\u2019s happened already, to some extent happening now, the aorist tense of kathiz\u014d<\/em>, \u201cjust as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.\u201d\u00a0 So we have throne number two, the Father\u2019s throne.\u00a0 The Father\u2019s throne is currently occupied by the Father and Jesus Christ.\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 throne, future, earthly, not in heaven like the Father\u2019s throne, is unoccupied.\n\nRevelation 12:5, of Jesus, says, \u201cA child\u201d that\u2019 Jesus, \u201cwas caught up to\u201d what does it say?\u00a0\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t say Christ\u2019s throne, it says very clearly \u201cher child was caught up to God and His throne.\u201d \u00a0[Revelation 12:5, \u201cAnd she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.\u201d]\u00a0 So the Father\u2019s throne is heavenly and is occupied by two members of the Trinity, God the Father and God the Son, Jesus taking that seat following His ascension.\n\nBut back to Revelation 3:21, the throne of Jesus Christ, which is earthly, in Jerusalem during the millennial kingdom at the present time is unoccupied.\u00a0 You say well who cares?\u00a0 I mean thrones, schmones, what does it really matter?\u00a0 It becomes a big deal because of the three offices of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 What did Jesus pray in what is truly the Lord\u2019s Prayer?\u00a0 You know, if you want to find the Lord\u2019s Prayer don\u2019t go to Matthew 6, that\u2019s the disciple\u2019s prayer.\u00a0 Jesus was teaching the disciples how to pray.\u00a0 If you really want Christ\u2019s final prayer you go to John 17 and in verse 5 Jesus says, \u201cNow, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself with the glory which I had with you before the world was.\u201d\u00a0 I want to go back to that place of glory at the Father\u2019s right hand on the Father\u2019s throne.\u00a0 And that prayer was answered with which event?\u00a0 The ascension found in Acts chapter 1.\n\nSo it\u2019s very clear that Jesus is on today the Father\u2019s throne, not His throne, a very significant teaching because what we have in the doctrine of Christology, the doctrine of Christ, are Christ\u2019s three offices: office number one is prophet, largely fulfilled by Christ in His first coming, when He did what a prophet does, He called the nation of Israel to repentance.\u00a0 And just like the prophets of old He was largely unsuccessful in that role which shifted Him to office two, the present session of Christ where Christ is not on His throne, He\u2019s on the Father\u2019s throne at the Father\u2019s right hand engaged in His present session where He is functioning, not as King but as high priest after the order of Melchiz\u00adedek.\u00a0 So that\u2019s office two.\u00a0\u00a0 And you\u2019ll find a reference to that in Hebrews 4:15.\u00a0 [Hebrews 4:15, \u201cFor we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.\u201d]\u00a0 By the way, that\u2019s why we\u2019re to pray because somebody is up there listening to us because we don\u2019t have a high priest who is unsympathetic with our weaknesses, He lived as we lived.\u00a0 He knows exactly what we\u2019re going thru and He had it much worse.\n\nBut there is going to be office three where He will reign as King over this earth, Isaiah 9:6-7, Matthew 25:31.\u00a0 [Isaiah 9:6-7, \u201cFor a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.\u00a0 [7] There will be no end to the increase of His<\/em> government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore.\u00a0 The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.\u201d\u00a0 Matthew 25:31, \u201cBut when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.\u201d]\u00a0 Many verses talk about it, where He will not be on the Father\u2019s throne.\u00a0 He will be on whose throne?\u00a0 His throne.\n\nSo in office two His priestly role, He is on the Father\u2019s heavenly throne.\u00a0 In office three, which has not yet come into existence, He will be on His throne reigning over the earth from the city of David (Jerusalem) in fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant.\u00a0 And here is something that\u2019s very significant to understand when\u00a0 you start putting all of these things together.\u00a0 Jesus (watch this very carefully) is not reigning as King today.\u00a0 He is functioning as high priest.\u00a0 We are in, currently (and we\u2019ve been in it for the last 2,000 years) the second type of ministry, the second office of our Lord Jesus Christ.\u00a0 That\u2019s why Revelation 3:21 keeps the two thrones separate.\u00a0 [Revelation 3:21, \u201c\u2018He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.\u201d]\n\nIn fact, those two thrones will not even merge until after the thousand year kingdom is over.\u00a0 After Jesus has reigned over the earth for a thousand years, from Jerusalem, on His throne, which at this point in time is unoccupied, only after that reign has run its course will God dissolve this word by fire, 2 Peter 3:10, replace it with the new heavens and the new earth, and only then will those two thrones merge together.\u00a0 [2 Peter 3:10, \u201cBut the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.\u201d]\n\nUntil that time in history the two thrones are always kept separate related to these three offices of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 You see, in the eternal state the day is going to come when those two thrones will become one.\u00a0 You read about it there in Revelation 22:1, \u201cThen he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,\u201d one throne, but until that point in time, which won\u2019t even occur until after the thousand\u00a0 year kingdom, those two thrones are separate.\n\nThis has become a big deal in our day, it\u2019s become a big deal in church history because ever since the fourth century, thanks to the writings of Augustine, who wrote the influential book, The City of God<\/em>, which is the most influential book ever written in church history.\u00a0 That book influenced more people than any other single book ever in the history of Christianity.\u00a0 And I\u2019m not using influence here for good, I\u2019m using influence for negative, because that was the first formal treatment of the doctrine of amillennialism, \u201ca\u201d is a negation, no millennium, no future earthly reign of Christ, because we\u2019re in the kingdom now.\n\nAnd so from that time onward people have been saying we\u2019re in the kingdom.\u00a0 The fact of the matter is, even some of the songs that we sing within modern day Christianity are songs that are errant because they give the impression that we\u2019re in the kingdom now. For example, a well-known song, Majesty, Kingdom what? Authority.\u00a0 You say well come on pastor, you\u2019re getting a little wound up about nothing, I mean they\u2019re just singing about the millennial kingdom there.\u00a0 No they\u2019re not!\u00a0 And the reason I know they\u2019re not is because I\u2019ve watched what the church has done over the last 20 to 30\u00a0 years where they go around the city of Los Angeles and they bind Satan and territorial spirits.\u00a0 Now why would they be binding Satan and territorial spirits?\u00a0 Because that\u2019s what Jesus is going to do when He sets up His kingdom.\u00a0 Now these people have been binding spirits over the city of Los Angeles for the last two to three decades, I would say they\u2019re not being all that successful to the city of Los Angeles, it\u2019s called \u201cThe city of angels.\u201d\u00a0 It is more wicked today than it\u2019s ever been, just try calling the city council sometime and see what kind of reaction you get, and complain about some of their policies.\n\nThis is why this doctrine of the kingdom matters.\u00a0 It\u2019s not just hair splitting, it relates to what the church is, what its identity is and what the church should and should not be doing.\u00a0 I have no interesting in binding territorial spirits over Houston.\u00a0 I think they\u2019re there.\u00a0 I\u2019m not going to bind Satan either because my Bible is very clear that Satan is the god of this age and he will not be downed until the millennial kingdom.\u00a0 What I\u2019m going to do is play defense because I\u2019m not in the kingdom, I\u2019m in the age of the church, and I\u2019m going to put on the full armor of God because that\u2019s what the New Testament, in context, understood rightly, tells me to do.\u00a0 But if you get these three offices confused you get very confused fast as to the identity of the church and what the church should be doing.\n\nIf all of this is true then why do so many people believe that we\u2019re in the kingdom now?\u00a0 Why is it that almost on every marquee and vision statement you see at any local church they\u2019re all building the kingdom; they say this.\u00a0 We\u2019re kingdom builders they tell us! We\u2019re bringing in the kingdom.\u00a0 We\u2019re doing kingdom work!\u00a0 I mean, it\u2019s a nice buzzword, \u201ckingdom,\u201d but what does it mean?\u00a0 In fact at my alma mater, Dallas Seminary, it\u2019s sad for me to say this, the doctrine that\u2019s in vogue there is what is called progressive dispensationalism which in my opinion is neither progressive nor dispensationalism.\u00a0 The primary thrust of that doctrine is Jesus is reigning on David\u2019s throne currently.\n\nDarrell Bock, one of the\u00a0 progenitors of this doctrine openly teaches this. \u00a0Here is a quote from one of his writings.\u00a0 Why does he teach this?\u00a0 Well, his point in this quote is the two thrones merge. He quotes Revelation 22:1, the two thrones merge.\u00a0 [Revelation 22:1, \u201cThen he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb.\u201d]\u00a0 And since the two thrones merge in Revelation 22:1 guess what?\u00a0 The two thrones are merged when?\u00a0 Right now!\u00a0 That\u2019s how they get this idea that Jesus is on David\u2019s throne.\u00a0 The fact of the matter is Jesus is not on David\u2019s throne. David\u2019s throne is unoccupied because the city of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel is in unbelief.\u00a0 Jesus is in heaven on the Father\u2019s throne, not functioning as King but He is functioning as High Priest.\n\nAnd how crazy is it to take Revelation 22:1, the merger of the two thrones, and act as if those thrones are merged today.\u00a0 [Revelation 22:1, \u201cThen he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb.\u201d]\u00a0 You know, folks, there\u2019s a lot of things going on in the eternal state that aren\u2019t happening today.\u00a0 Amen!\u00a0 Like what?\u00a0 No Satan, no sea, that\u2019s going to hurt the cruise industry by the way, no death, crying or mourning or pain, that seems to be going on today.\u00a0 No sun, we\u2019ve got a little cloud cover today but the sun is still there.\u00a0 Now moon, no night, no evil, no curse.\u00a0 You can\u2019t take a concept from the eternal state, like the merger of the two thrones and just indiscriminately make it sound as if those thrones are merged today and Jesus is in phase A of His kingdom they say, reigning from David\u2019s throne.\n\nJesus is NOT on David\u2019s throne!\u00a0 The Bible never teaches He\u2019s on David\u2019s throne.\u00a0 He\u2019s on the Father\u2019s throne. If He were on David\u2019s throne right now the kingdom would be in existence.\u00a0 The kingdom is not in existence!\u00a0 He is on the Father\u2019s throne, not functioning as King but functioning as high priest.\u00a0 You say well, why is He not in His kingdom now?\u00a0 John 1:11 tells you, \u201cHe came to His own\u201d now who are His own?\u00a0 The nation of Israel.\u00a0 \u201cHe came to His own and those who were His own did not receive Him.\u201d\u00a0 Daniel, six hundred years in advance said this concerning the rejection of Israel of their Messiah: So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; [it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.\u201d[\u00a0 [Daniel 9:25]\n\nJumping down to verse 26 because we\u2019ve already had teaching on this, in fact there was more teaching on this than most of you probably wanted.\u00a0 Verse 26 says, \u201cThen after the sixty-two weeks\u201d watch this very carefully \u201cthe Messiah will be cut off\u201d the crucifixion, see the rest of the verse, \u201cand have nothing\u2026.\u201d\u00a0 Daniel 9:26 predicts, and this is what happened in the first century, the Messiah would come to His own people, He would be rejected by His own people, they are the ones that took Him and handed Him over to Rome for crucifixion, and the moment that happened He would have nothing.\u00a0 Nothing of what?\u00a0 Nothing of the kingdom.\u00a0 So consequently Jesus is not on David\u2019s throne right now.\u00a0 If the nation had received Him He would be on David\u2019s throne governing planet earth.\n\nSo what did He do?\u00a0 God took lemons and turned into what?\u00a0 Lemonade, through this terrible transaction God has a habit of bringing something good out of it; through the crucifixion of Jesus the sin debt is paid for\u2026Amen!\u00a0 We are related to Christ by way of faith\u2026Amen!\u00a0 We are in the church, not the kingdom\u2026 Amen!\u00a0 And so where did Jesus go?\u00a0 Not to David\u2019s throne, He went back to the Father\u2019s throne, His place of preincarnate glory that He prayed to return to where He functions as high priest.\n\nYou say well, yeah, but doesn\u2019t Jesus\u2026isn\u2019t He described as being within the lineage of David?\u00a0 Any passages in the Bible? Isn\u2019t He the one who exercises the key of David?\u00a0 And there are many Davidic concepts or ideas that describe Jesus as David (watch this very carefully) only because He is the heir to David\u2019s throne.\u00a0 This is why He is called (Revelation 5:5) the what of David?\u00a0 The \u201croot.\u201d\u00a0 [Revelation 5:5, \u201cand one of the elders said to me, \u2018Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.\u2019\u201d]\u00a0 Why is He called \u201cthe Root of David\u201d?\u00a0 Because He\u2019s on David\u2019s throne?\u00a0 NO, because He\u2019s the heir to David\u2019s throne.\u00a0 It\u2019s a legal heirship that He is not yet enjoying.\n\nHow does the Book of Revelation conclude? Verse 16, \u201cI am the root and the descendant of\u00a0 David, the bright and morning star.\u00a0 [Revelation 22:16, \u201cI, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.\u201d] He is a Davidite but that does not mean He is currently functioning with Davidic reign.\n\nIf He were functioning with Davidic reign I\u2019ll tell you this much, the world that we\u2019re living in would be a lot different, not the least of which Satan would be bound right now.\u00a0 Is Satan bound right now?\u00a0 Does Satan bother you like he bothers me?\u00a0 Agricultural prosperity will break out all over the earth.\u00a0 There\u2019ll be no more war because the nations will beat their swords into plow\u00adshares? Does any of this seem like it\u2019s happening today?\u00a0 It\u2019s not happening today.\n\nSo if you have a theology that says we\u2019re in the kingdom anyway you have to take all that information and you have to deliteralize it.\u00a0\u00a0 And you have to say well, the prophecy related to His first coming was literally fulfilled, like Bethlehem, and piercing, but all the second coming prophecies are allegorical.\u00a0 You have to switch horses in midstream to get their system to work.\u00a0 And\u00a0 you have to start saying funny things, like Jesus is really on David\u2019s throne right now because we know in the eternal state the thrones merge, so that means they must be merged today.\n\nNo, beloved, He is not reigning as King.\u00a0 What is happening today is He is functioning as high priest.\u00a0 Hebrews 4:15 is very clear on this.\u00a0 [Hebrews 4:15, \u201cFor we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.\u201d]\u00a0 In fact, the whole book of Hebrews is defending this idea.\u00a0 Hebrews 7:3 says, end of the verse, \u201c\u2026he remains a priest perpetually.\u201d\u00a0 [Hebrews 7:3, \u201cWithout father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.\u201d]\n\nHebrews 6:20, after the order of who?\u00a0 Melchizedek!\u00a0 [Hebrews 6:20, \u201che remains a priest perpetually.\u00a0 [Hebrews 6:20, \u201cwhere Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.\u201d]\u00a0 Melchizedek is sort of this very interesting character that shows up in the Book of Hebrews and what it indicates is Christ has a priesthood related to Melchizedek which is higher than Aarons.\u00a0 Aaron\u2019s system was great while it lasted.\u00a0 But the priesthood that Christ has ushered in following His ascension, following His return to the right hand of the Father on the Father\u2019s celestial throne is way better than anything Aaron and his sons could have ever engineered and pulled off.\u00a0 In fact, it\u2019s such a higher order the author of Hebrews says it\u2019s after \u201cthe order of Melchizedek.\u201d\u00a0 How could Jesus be another Aaronic priest when the priests had to come from which tribe?\u00a0 Levi!.\u00a0 Jesus came from which tribe?\u00a0 Judah, Genesis 49:10.\u00a0 [Genesis 49:10, \u201cThe scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.\u201d]\n\nSo He\u2019s obviously in a priesthood which is spectacular and as wonderful as that priesthood is it\u2019s not the kingdom of God.\u00a0 Christ currently is only in His second office.\u00a0 When Jesus is described as a Davidite it\u2019s saying He\u2019s the heir to the kingdom, although currently He\u2019s not yet in the kingdom.\n\nThe founders of Dallas Seminary thought this was a big deal.\u00a0 Lewis Sperry Chafer says this, back in 1947.\u00a0 \u201cSimilarly, the earthly kingdom that according to the Scriptures had its origin in the covenant made to David, which is mundane and literal in its original form and equally as mundane and literal in uncounted references to it in all subsequent Scriptures which trace it on to its consummation,\u201d that kingdom, the literal earthly kingdom he\u2019s saying, watch this language, \u201cis by theological [legerdemain]<\/u>\u201d I didn\u2019t know what that word meant, I had to go look it up so I put it in brackets.\u00a0 What does that mean, legerdemain.\u201d \u00a0It means trickery or deception.\u00a0 That\u2019s very strong language.\u00a0 You convert what Jesus is doing now as high priest into the kingdom of God and you\u2019re involved in (according to Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder of Dallas Seminary) trickery and deception.\u00a0 \u201cit is by theological [legerdemain metamorphosed into a<\/u>\u201d watch this, \u201cspiritual monstrosity<\/u>\u2026.\u201d\n\nIf you think the present session of Christ is the kingdom you have just created a monstrosity of the Bible is what he\u2019s saying.\u00a0 You have intermingled something that the Bible says is never to be intermingled, the three offices of Christ, in which an absent King seated on His Father\u2019s throne in heaven is accepted in lieu of the theocratic monarch of David\u2019s line seated on David\u2019s throne in Jerusalem.\u00a0 I will never settle for this idea that we are in the Davidic Covenant now because what the Bible describes for the Davidic Kingdom is so much grander than what is happening that you have to tone all those passages down, rewrite all of those passages to make it fit.\u00a0 And this doctrine of deception and trickery and a monstrosity, according to Chafer\u2019s words, is what is normal in Christendom ever since Augustine, The City of God<\/em>, fourth century.\n\nIn fact, most Christians, by way of denominational affiliation, believe this monstrosity.\u00a0 They\u2019ve just never been presented with the other side because they are connected by way of denomina\u00adtional affiliations to institutions which teach this round the clock.\u00a0 In fact, the view is so common most people have never even heard of the present session of Christ nor have they ever heard of the three offices of Christ and their distinction.\u00a0 And what people say is well, you know, if you\u2019re not going to say Jesus is not reigning on David\u2019s throne today then he\u2019s up there doing nothing.\n\nThat\u2019s what a lot of people think, well, if this isn\u2019t the kingdom then I guess He\u2019s not reigning today and He\u2019s not doing anything.\u00a0 Beloved, on the contrary.\u00a0 He\u2019s doing so many things today that are astounding.\u00a0 Number one, He\u2019 keeping creation sustained, these are all verses describing what He\u2019s doing today at the Father\u2019s right hand, on the Father\u2019s throne in heaven.\u00a0 He\u2019s keeping creation sustained, He\u2019s the One that\u2019s moving the planets around so that they do not collide with each other.\u00a0 [Colossians 1:16-17, \u201cFor by Him all things were created, both<\/em> in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities\u2014all things have been created through Him and for Him. [17] He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.\u201d]\n\nHe is the one that has grace enough to keep your heart palpitating so you could wake up this morning.\u00a0 A lot of people didn\u2019t wake up this morning around the world.\u00a0 Why do you wake up and they don\u2019t?\u00a0 It has something to do with the present session of Christ as high priest after the order of Melchizedek.\u00a0 He is the Head of the church, Ephesians 1:22-23.\u00a0 [Ephesians 1:22-23, \u201cAnd He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, [23] which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.\u201d\u00a0 He is the Groom of the Church, Ephesians 5:22-23.]\n\nIn fact, He is the one that is building the church. From His position at the right hand of the Father He is orchestrating the growth and the development of the church, Matthew 16:18, \u201cI will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.\u201d\u00a0 Why is it that Satan hasn\u2019t stopped the church by now?\u00a0 He should have stopped it a long time ago.\u00a0 Because Jesus keeps it moving, building, growing.\u00a0 How is it that the Apostle Peter, this guy that denied the Lord three times, and will walk out on the water and sink, and would speak up out of turn, I call him the apostle with the foot-shaped mouth, always putting his foot in his mouth to such a degree that Jesus had to say \u201cget behind me Satan.\u201d\u00a0 How is it that guy could stand up on the day of Pentecost, preach a sermon, and three thousand people get saved.\u00a0 \u00a0How could that happen?\u00a0 Because of the ministry of Jesus Christ at the right hand of the Father functioning as high priest.\n\nWhy is it that the number jumps in Acts 2 from three thousand converts to Acts 4:4, to five thousand converts. \u00a0How did that happen?\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s related to the present activities of Jesus Christ \u00a0[Acts 2:41, \u201c[Acts 2:41, \u201cSo then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. from three thousand converts,\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Acts 4:4, \u201cBut many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.\u201d]\n\nWhat else is Jesus doing?\u00a0 Ephesians 4:7-12, He\u2019s giving the church spiritual gifts.\u00a0 \u00a0[Ephesians 4:7-12, \u201cWhen they had placed them in the center, they began to<\/em> inquire, \u201cBy what power, or in what name, have you done this?\u201d [8] Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, \u201cRulers and elders of the people, [9] if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, [10] let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead\u2014by this name<\/em> this man stands here before you in good health. [11] He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but<\/em> WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone.<\/em> \u00a0[12] And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.\u201d]\n\nWhat else is He doing?\u00a0 You should be grateful for this as I am, He\u2019s interceding for the saints.\u00a0 Man, I wish someone would pray for me!\u00a0 Romans 8:26, Hebrews 7:25.\u00a0 [Romans 8:26, \u201cIn the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us<\/em> with groanings too deep for words.\u201d\u00a0 Hebrews 7:25, \u201cTherefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.\u201d]\u00a0 You\u2019ve got someone praying for you around the clock.\n\nWhat else is He doing?\u00a0 He\u2019s your defense attorney.\u00a0 He\u2019s even better than Johnny Cochran.\u00a0 He is our advocate, 1 John 2:1.\u00a0 [1 John 2:1, \u201cMy little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;\u201d]\u00a0 Why do I need an advocate?\u00a0 Because what does the devil do before God\u2019s throne day and night?\u00a0 He hurls accusations against the saints.\u00a0 Aren\u2019t you glad you\u2019ve got an advocate?\n\nWhat else does He do.\u00a0 He forgives sin.\u00a0 Do I need my sins forgiven?\u00a0 I thought once saved always saved.\u00a0 No, beloved, you need\u00a0 your sins forgiven, not to get re-saved, John 10:27-29, but to restore broken fellowship.\u00a0 [John 10:27-29, \u201cMy sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; [28] and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.\u00a0 [29] \"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.\u201d]\u00a0 We, as Christians, can to back to the sin nature, I hope I\u2019m not the only one in the room that that happens to.\u00a0 And when we do we don\u2019t get unsaved any more than a new child could be unborn, what happens is the moment by moment enjoyment we had with God stops.\u00a0 And so we need to exercise 1 John 1:9 to restore broken fellowship.\u00a0 [1 John 1:9, \u201cIf we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\u201d]\n\nLewis Sperry Chafer put it this way.\u00a0 \u201cThe effect of the Christian\u2019s sin upon himself is that he loses his fellowship with God, his joy, his peace, and his power.\u201d\u00a0 So you find yourself today Christian in a situation where you\u2019ve lost your fellowship, your joy,\u00a0 your peace, your power? There\u2019s a remedy for that.\u00a0 It\u2019s 1 John 1:9, [1 John 1:9, \u201cIf we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\u201d] where Jesus, in His current position as high priest is faithful and just or righteous to forgive us of these sins. \u201cOn the other hand, these experiences are restored in infinite grace on the sole ground that he confesses his sin.\u201d\n\nLook at what Jesus is doing today at the Father\u2019s right hand.\u00a0 May I ask you a question though?\u00a0 Who is the last sermon you ever heard in any church covering the present session of Christ?\u00a0 In fact, when I taught at the local Bible college called The Biblical Studies almost every semester I would ask the question, can someone tell me the last sermon you ever heard in your church on the present session of Christ.\u00a0 And in the seven years being there I never got anybody to raise their hand and say oh\u00a0 yeah, my pastor\u2019s covered that.\u00a0 For whatever reason the present session of Christ in an obscure doctrine in the minds of most Christians.\u00a0 We know an awful lot about what He did when He came the first time and we know an awful lot about what he\u2019s going to do when He comes the second time, what did He do as prophet, what will He do as King.\n\nI\u2019m living in the year 2018 and I want to know what He\u2019s doing now.\u00a0 And for whatever reason we don\u2019t know much about it.\u00a0 And yet there\u2019s an actual area of Christology, the doctrine of Christ, called the present session of Christ, things that Jesus executes consistently, not to be confused with the Davidic Covenant.\n\nLewis Sperry Chafer again says this: \u201cThe present ministry of Christ in heaven, known as His session, is far-reaching both in consequence and import.\u201d\u00a0 In other words, this doctrine will change your life if you let it.\u00a0 \u201cIt, too, has not been treated even with a passing consideration by Covenant theologians,\u201d people that believe we\u2019re in the kingdom, \u201cdoubtless due to their inability\u2014because of being confronted with their one covenant theory\u2014to introduce features and ministries which indicate a new divine purpose in the Church and by so much tend to disrupt the unity of a supposed immutable purpose and covenant of God\u2019s grace.\u201d\u00a0 Translation: a lot of people will never talk to you about this because their pre-existing theology of us being in the kingdom now won\u2019t allow it.\u00a0 So the pulpits are silent over this subject.\u00a0 \u201c Since, as will be seen, certain vital ministries of Christ in heaven provide completely for the believer\u2019s security, the present session of Christ has been eschewed by Arminians in a manner equally unpardonable.\u201d\n\nWhy won\u2019t people talk about it?\u00a0 Because it reveals the security of the believer.\u00a0 And if I have a theology that says you can lose your salvation I\u2019m not going to talk about the security of the believer.\u00a0 He goes on, now this was 1947 he was complaining about this.\n\nHe goes on, \u201cThis neglect accounts very well for the emphasis of their pulpit ministrations. The Christian public, because deprived of the knowledge of Christ\u2019s present ministry, are unaware of its vast realities, though they are able from childhood itself to relate the mere historical facts and activities of Christ during His three and one-half years of service on earth.\u201d\u00a0 You give a quiz to kids, they can tell you all about the earthly ministry of Christ, a survey to adults, they can tell you all about the things He did.\u00a0 You ask them what He\u2019s doing now\u2026 blank stare.\u00a0 \u00a0It\u2019s an area of theology that\u2019s been obscured, if not lost.\n\n\u201cThat Christ is doing anything now is not recognized by Christians generally and for this part-truth kind of preaching is wholly responsible. It yet remains true, whether neglected by one or the other kind of theologian, that Christ is now engaged in ministry which determines the service and destiny of all those who have put their trust in Him.\u201d\u00a0 [vol. 5, Systematic Theology <\/em>(Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1993), 273-74.\n\nThis a big deal, this present session of Christ.\u00a0 And yet it\u2019s the area of Christ\u2019 life where, for whatever reason, we have a tremendous lack of familiarity.\n\nSo what\u2019s the promise then.\u00a0 That was my introduction, what\u2019s the promise then?\u00a0 \u201cHe who overcomes I will grant him\u00a0to sit down with Me on My throne, as\u00a0I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.\u201d\u00a0 [Revelation 3:21]\u00a0 In other words, when the time in history comes where Jesus has evicted Satan, returns to the earth, takes His seat in Jerusalem on David\u2019s throne and governs the whole world you\u2019re going to be there.\u00a0 In fact, you\u2019re going to be on the throne with Him, if I\u2019m reading this right, functioning under His delegated authority, ruling and reigning in the millennial kingdom.\u00a0 The same type of promise was given to Thyatira, \u201cHe who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;\u201d [27] AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father;\u201d [Revelation 2:26[27]\n\nChristian, whether you know it or not you\u2019re destined for authority; you\u2019re destined for a throne.\u00a0 The Book of Revelation is how that throne is established as Christ\u2019s kingdom comes to the earth and \u201cThe kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign\u201d for how long, \u201cforever and ever.\u201d [Revelation 11:5, \u201cThen the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, \u2018The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.\u2019\u201d]\n\nThat\u2019s your destiny in God, but it\u2019s not happening now.\u00a0 Now is a special provision for you, while you\u2019re in the devil\u2019s world, for grace in the midst of that adversity.\u00a0 That\u2019s what Christ is executing currently, not on His throne but on the Father\u2019s throne, not on the earth but in heaven, functioning not as King but as what? High priest.\u00a0\u00a0 So if we\u2019re destined for a throne why can\u2019t we get along in life with a smaller thing.\u00a0 That\u2019s the application.\n\n1 Corinthians 6:2-3, Paul confronts the Corinthians who are suing each other, can you imagine.\u00a0 \u201cOr do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts?\u00a0 [3] Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?\u201d\u00a0 You\u2019re upset about this little tiny issue over here, don\u2019t you understand who you are?\u00a0 Don\u2019t you understand your identity?\u00a0 Don\u2019t you understand the authority that you are hurling towards in the providence and the timing of God?\u00a0 Of course you can handle a little disagreement, work it out, grow up, mature into your identity as a kingdom ruler.\u00a0 In fact, beloved, every trial you\u2019re experiencing right now is preparatory for you kingdom reign.\n\nAs one man put it, this earth, what is it?\u00a0 It\u2019s training time for reigning time.\n\nWe conclude with the exhortation to listen, from all of the distractions that are out there in the world, think of all of the sermons and Bible studies that are being given this week, last week, right now on Sunday morning, and how many of them are focusing on this issue.\u00a0 I would say a very, very small percentage, if any, and\u00a0 yet we\u2019re told these things as a privilege to listen and to heed.\u00a0 Verse 22 says, \u201cHe who has an hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,\u201d listen up, same command God gave to ancient Israel prior to their conquest of the land.\u00a0 You know, they went into the land, 800 years they got evicted.\n\nDo you know why they got evicted?\u00a0 They never listened to what Moses told them to do.\u00a0 Moses gave them specific instructions on how to thrive and prosper in the land which they didn\u2019t listen to and they neglected and Israel\u2019s history is recorded there in the pages of the Old Testament for all to see.\u00a0 It is a failure to read and heed.\u00a0 And what I\u2019m revealing to you is not something that\u2019s unique to me, it\u2019s what your Bible teaches.\u00a0 It\u2019s\u00a0 your current provision as you march through the devil\u2019s domain and are in route to glory.\u00a0 And how badly the Lord wants us to actually hear this, not allow the mind to wander, not to think about gosh, where am I going to go to lunch after the service is over, do I need to talk to so and so or such and such.\n\nI mean, isn\u2019t it interesting that people can watch the movie Star Wars for two hours and sit there, little kids, glued to the TV, and yet it\u2019s so difficult for us to hear a sermon about the present session of Jesus Christ, His current office, and how it\u2019s being confused by many people when that very office is the source of\u00a0 your provision for the rest of today and the rest of this week.\n\nThis is a lesson that\u2019s given to all the churches, not just the church at Laodicea.\u00a0 The present session of Christ is for all of us.\u00a0 Now here\u2019s what\u2019s very interesting. We just finished chapter 3, that\u2019s a miracle right there.\u00a0 \u201cWrite down the things which you have seen\u201d chapter 1, \u201cthe things that are, \u201cchapters 2 and 3, \u201cthe things that will take place after these things,\u201d chapters 4-22.\u00a0 So we\u2019re going to hit chapter 4 and guess what\u2019s going to happen?\u00a0 We\u2019re going to get raptured into heaven because the voice is going to come to John and say \u201ccome up here,\u201d and when he gets up there, which I assume happens very fast, he\u2019s going to be given information about the third part of the book, the futuristic section.\n\nAnd that I want you to see is the transition from chapter 3 into chapter 4.\u00a0 Why would John be called up into heaven? Where is Jesus right now?\u00a0 On His throne or His Father\u2019s throne?\u00a0 His Father\u2019s throne.\u00a0 Where is His Father\u2019s throne?\u00a0 On earth or in heaven?\u00a0 In heaven.\u00a0 He just finished telling us He\u2019s in heaven on His Father\u2019s throne so now He says to John, Come up here and I will show you the things that will take place after this. \u00a0\u00a0[Revelation 4:1, \u201cAfter these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, \"Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.\u201d]\n\nI mean, He was caught up to God and His throne in His ascension and so He says to John the same thing, \u201cCome up here\u201d and beloved, as God is my witness the same thing is going to happen to you.\u00a0 Now I don\u2019t know if this event is going to happen prior to our death or before, I don\u2019t have any inside information on that but I know that there will be a generation that will hear the last trump of the church age.\u00a0 I would think we would also hear that voice \u201cCome up here\u201d and we\u2019ll be rocketed into heaven in a nanosecond.\u00a0 And you say oh,\u00a0 come on pastor, you say it every week and it\u2019s never happened.\u00a0\u00a0 One of these days I\u2019m going to be right.\u00a0 [Laughter]\u00a0 So the question is, when that trumpet sounds, let\u2019s say it sounds this afternoon, would you go?\u00a0 That\u2019s the question.\u00a0 Or would you, to quote the late Tim LaHaye, be Left Behind<\/em>.\u201d\n\nYou know, I think this: I think the Sunday after the rapture I think the churches will be packed.\u00a0 I really do!\u00a0 I think first of all a lot of people think they\u2019re saved because they go to church.\u00a0 And I think also the unsaved world will be so dumfounded by this sudden disappearance that just after 9\/11 they\u2019re going to be coming to the leaders of the world for an answer.\u00a0 And that\u2019s not a crowd\u00a0 you want to be in.\u00a0 You want to be in that crowd that\u2019s going and participation in the rapture is part of your great passage.\u00a0 There are things that God gives to us that are independent of human performance in any way, that are totally accessed by way of grace.\u00a0 One of those is salvation and part of that package is participation in the rapture because Paul says we will \u201call be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling\u201d and so forth.\u00a0\u00a0 [1 Corinthians 15:51-52, \u201cBehold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, [52] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.\u201d ]\n\nAnd you enter the grace package, not through human works, not through raising a hand, not through joining a church, not through walking aisle, not through filling out a decision card, not through giving money to your local church, not by obligating\u00a0 yourself to try harder.\u00a0 See, that\u2019s what the religious world teaches, that\u2019s how you enter into this great package. If you entered into it that way then you\u2019d have something to boast about. Right?\u00a0\u00a0 You enter into the grace package based on what He has done for you, not what you do for yourself.\u00a0 You enter into the grace package by receiving as a free gift what He has done.\u00a0 And in the mind of God you have to think the way God thinks.\n\nThere is only ONE way to receive a gift from Him and that\u2019s why He\u2019s deliberately conditioned it on the basis of faith.\u00a0 Not A, B, C, D, not Admit, Believe, Confess and all these other things people say, but it\u2019s B, \u201cB\u201d by itself, the Spirit convicts us of our need to do this and we simply trust in Christ.\u00a0 The Spirit convicts us and we, the best we know how, we place our confidence, our faith, it\u2019s a condition of privacy in the mind and in the heart, exclusively in Christ and Christ alone for salvation, period! \u00a0\u00a0No ten thousand verses of Just as I Am<\/em>, hoping someone can come forward so we can complete the service and go out to lunch.\u00a0 That\u2019s not how it\u2019s done.\u00a0 It\u2019s done completely by receiving, by faith, what Jesus has done and becoming a Christian is not a multi-step\u00a0 process.\u00a0 It\u2019s a single-step process and it\u2019s something you can do right now where you\u2019re seated or even people listening, you can receive Christ by trusting what He has done.\u00a0 And if that\u2019s something you have done or are doing then on the authority of the Word of God you\u2019ve altered your eternal destiny and you become a participant in the grace package, including the rapture of the church.\u00a0 Does that sound like a pretty good deal?\u00a0 [clapping]\u00a0 So we would invite folks to do that.\n\nShall we pray.\u00a0 Father, we\u2019re grateful for these letters that we have been studying, I know they\u2019ve been personally convicting to me as I\u2019ve been trying to prepare.\u00a0 I pray You will continue to be with this church as we continue to move through the Book of Revelation to this very exciting vision that You have in store for us.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be careful to give You all the praise and the glory.\u00a0 We ask these things in Jesus\u2019 name and God\u2019s people said\u2026 Amen!","series_sermon_number":""},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t