Bottom line: We must prepare for the end of life and the end of the world the same way: as if living and dying for Christ was worth it. And ordering our lives accordingly. Pastor Darien Gabriel walks us through Revelation 6:1-8 and the reality of martyrdom both in the early church and now. This sermon is one of the most important you will hear as it relates to the effects of the gospel and what it means to follow Christ no matter what.
Read MoreThis week’s main idea: “The risen Christ in glory summons forth obedience from his churches. The incomparable glory of the risen Christ motivates John’s audience to heed what John has been commissioned to write. The matchless splendor of Heaven’s King attracts the attention and compels the obedience of the churches John addresses.” -Hamilton
My Bottom line: When we (the Church) see the risen Jesus today, we’ll be super motivated to trust and obey.
Read MoreBottom line: Doing good means always being prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you why you have hope and to do so w/ gentleness, respect, and a clear conscience. That includes your enemies and your persecutors. Be prepared & ready to share with anyone why you have hope.
In the Old Testament, the tabernacle (and later the temple) was the place where people went to meet with God. This was God’s home as we see in our Old Testament passage for today (Ezekiel 43:5).
The message of our New Testament passage though is that the glory and presence of God is to be found supremely in Jesus. It is at the very moment that Jesus is rejected and crucified that God’s presence among people is finally and fully realized. From that point on there is no need for a physical temple. The only church building the New Testament speaks about is a building made of people (Ephesians 2:20–22), founded and built upon Jesus, the chief cornerstone. The holy temple in the New Testament is one made of ‘living stones’ (1 Peter 2:5) – in other words, people like you and me. This is God’s new home.
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