OPEN: 21 years ago, many of you remember what you were doing. You had plans for the day, you went to school, you went to work, I was in my 4th year at Lipscomb about to go to morning chapel. But for most of us, our plans were shattered in a moment’s time… along with the plans of millions of Americans across the nation.
https://www.newsweek.com/new-yorkers-and-tourists-remember-their-where-they-were-september-11-2001-269997
“But courage, child: we are all between the paws of the true Aslan.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle
- “Revelation 21:4 – He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
REVELATION 4 – READ IT:
After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings[a] and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.
And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”
ILLUS: For example, how many of you have heard of the mark of the Beast? (“666” described in Rev. chapter 13) https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2006-10-04-0610040047-story.html
1 John 4:4 “You are of God,… and have overcome… because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
Jesus taught us: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
ILLUS: In 1637, a German named Martin Reinkardht wrote a powerful hymn that has been sung in churches for over 400 years. Let me read a couple of the verses for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKNM5KD9__Q
“Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices
Who wondrous things has done, in whom His world rejoices
Who, from our mother’s arms has blest us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given
The Son, and Him who reigns with them in highest heaven
The one eternal God whom earth and heav’n adore
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.”
https://talkofjesus.com/nun-danket-alle-gott/
Note the words of that last verse:
“All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given…
The one eternal God whom earth and heav’n adore
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.”
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33