Well, the Lord's mercy has been made evident to us as we've made it through another year, 2026. And once we're Every year brings with it joy and sorrow. And we are, of course, sorrowing and having a lost brother, Laurie, who's not with us. But he is. As that song we sing sometimes says, that I hope no tears of sadness be shed when I'm gone, but to rejoice that I'm gone from the sorrow to come. And this world is a place of sin and sorrow. It's a place of great joy. But the only joy that really exists in the world that's lasting is that which is found in Christ. And so may the Lord give us this year an understanding of that joy that's in Christ, as only He can, only He can. give us what we need. As we sang that song there a moment ago, heart to gospel trumpet sounding. Sinners, hear the call and come. Christ in pardoning love abounding. Now let's call them sinners home. That's who he's calling, sinners. Not calling the righteous. Not calling those that can do a lot of stuff for him. Not calling those that can give things to him. We're calling sinners. He said he came to save. Seeking to save that which was lost. He's a savior of sinners. There's not one sinner for whom he died that will not be saved. That's a glorious thought. And so we're looking here in the book of the Revelation. And we've been looking at these first few verses here. And they're really, as we begin, there's a, there's a, This first chapter is really divided up into three sections. First is the declaration of the Lord as to what this book is, which it is the revelation, not revelations. I can't say that enough. And I know that it is a habit of some to say revelations. There is no S. on the word revelation. It is a revelation. It is one revelation. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ. And if we miss that, we're gonna miss the whole thing. Now a lot of people get into this book and they're looking for revelations. They're wanting to see things that's gonna happen. You know, you got people that know all these things. I mean, they can tell you everything from the hair on the horse's tail to the color of the toenails on the beast and what each one means and all of that kind of stuff. And I don't know any of that. Don't claim to know it. I'm not trying to find it out. But I want to see Christ. And I believe that's what the book's about. And I believe if you look in this book, you will see Christ. He's on every page. He's the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. He's all in all. And so this is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him. You know, every time I read that, I'm just struck with amazement at it. I can't even really wrap my head around that. That's an amazing statement. And I venture to say most people just read over it and never even think about it. But this is the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him. Belongs to him. He's the one to whom this is given. And it's given, he says, to show unto his servant things which must shortly come to pass. Now, again, This is a revelation given to him to show to his people things which must shortly come to pass, not from that point in time. See, men, look at this book in some chronological order, but this is a book of the purpose of God revealed in the world through Jesus Christ. I mean, that's what this book's about. This book's about not what's starting from this point forward or from the time when this was given to John from that time forward. No, it's that which was given to Christ and those things which must shortly come to pass. Now, we've talked about this, about what is time. Time is only a thing that we're involved in. We're creatures of time. And we don't comprehend anything but time. You can't, for the life of you, you can try as hard as you want to think about something having no beginning and having no ending, and you can't. Because everything you've ever been associated with has both. Everything you've ever seen in your life has a beginning, and it has an end. That which is eternal has no beginning and has no end. And there is, when the Lord gives a revelation unto himself, basically, it's what he says, I mean, the Father gave it to the Son, that's not two different entities, but Jesus Christ is the revelation of God to men. You can't see God apart from seeing Jesus Christ. No man has seen God in any time. He who's in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed Him. Jesus Christ is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He's the manifestation of God. He's the spokesman of God. He's the prophet of God. And if we would hear from God, we must hear from Him. And this is the record that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Now that's just as straightforward as it gets. There's no equivocation about that. It's not A man can adopt his own religion and find God in how he wants to. That's kind of the way people think about it. Well, that's your line of thought and this is my line of thought. It doesn't matter what my line of thought is. It doesn't matter what your line of thought is. What matters is what the scripture tells us about who God is. And this is the revelation of Jesus Christ. I heard something this week, in fact, heard it several times, because it was on kind of like a commercial on the radio, and the guy was saying it, and what he said was basically correct, but I didn't, one of the things that he said that I thought he probably should not have said, because it actually contradicts the scripture, in saying it, I understood what he meant, and what he meant was probably correct, But he said that darkness is, there's no such thing as darkness, it's just the absence of light. He said darkness is not a thing. But he was wrong about that. Because the Lord said that he made the light and created the darkness. He created the darkness. There can't even be any darkness. Apart from God, can you imagine it? There's no light and no darkness except God has created it. I form the light and create the darkness. I make peace and create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things. And what can we say but fall down and worship Him? I mean, He is the first and the last. He's all in all. And so this one, he's given us, he's given us to know through Jesus Christ those things that he has revealed. And he's showing it to us which must shortly come to pass, that is, that has unfolded in the earth. Those things that Jesus Christ came into the world to do. Because the world has no purpose or meaning apart from that which God has ordained to perform and to magnify the glory of his grace in sending his son into the world to redeem sinners. He would have glory to his name. That's how he would do it. And we see it from the very beginning. We see it in the garden when Adam sinned and the Lord clothed him with garments. A picture of that redemption which he would bring to his people who were sinners. And he clothes us with the righteousness of Christ. to cover our nakedness because without his covering we are naked and bare before Almighty God. But he's covered us in the righteousness of Christ. What a glorious thing. He sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John. John's the messenger of this. John bare record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ of all the things that he saw. This is what John did. By the grace of God. And blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand. This is a present thing, dear brethren. This is that which God is showing unto men. The time is at hand. See, we live in the last day. That's what the scripture says. Now, you'll hear people talk about, well, I wonder if it's the last days. This must be the last days. Well, it is the last days. The scripture says this is the last time. John said that. There's not coming another time. There's not coming another day. But this is the time. You see, this is the only thing that we can see and know is what we've been, this is the day of salvation. What a glorious time to live. The world has dwelt in darkness from the beginning. Except the light that God has been pleased to shine upon it. And the sun doesn't give the world light. Because you see, God said, let there be light before we ever created the sun. Now that's, you know, that's something scientists have a hard time with. But it's nonetheless true. Because see, he is the light. And in him, the scripture says, is no darkness at all. Even though he created the darkness. because none of these things can exist without him. What a glorious God he is. The time is at hand. We are to keep these things. Now what does it mean to keep them? It means to hold them. I keep. Now this is, We say this is the Word of God and we do believe that it is the Word of God written on pages. We know that it is not, this does not, is not the living Word of God. When the scripture says in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, it doesn't mean that the Bible was there. It means though that the one who spoke these things that are in the Bible, is the Word. And so we believe that this Word that's recorded in these pages is the Word of God. And so as we consider it is the Word of God, if we keep it, that means we value it. It is that thing which is precious to us. We hold it. And that's what he says to do. Blessed are those that keep these things that are written here. Now, that's the first thing. That's the declaration of God. Then beginning in verse four, it says, John to the seven churches, which are in Asia, grace and peace to you. Now, this is the salutation of John and those to whom he's writing this book to. God gave this revelation to Jesus Christ, who committed it into the hands of John for our sake. And John says, now I'm taking it to you. And so he's speaking to the seven churches, which are in Asia, specific entities. Grace be to you, peace from him. See, he's speaking about where he got this from. He said, grace be to you and peace from him, which is, which was, which is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne. Now, you know, sometimes people, they get so hung up on things. Seven's a perfect number. The spirit of God is perfect because he is God. He's, the Lord Jesus Christ said, I'll send my spirit. He didn't say he would send a spirit. He said he would send my spirit. He's the perfect spirit. He's the perfect messenger of God, the comforter for his people. From Jesus Christ, who's the faithful witness, Everything that he said is absolutely true. Now you hear some people say, well, you know, we believe Jesus Christ was a great prophet, but, you know, we believe there's other ways to get to heaven than through Jesus Christ. I mean, you know, you got all these different religions in the world and they're all basically worshiping the same one. Well, that's not true. Because Jesus Christ is more than a prophet. He's the prophet. He's the spokesman of God. And so if you disregard anything that Jesus Christ said, you have disregarded God. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me. Now he can't be a prophet of God and speak a lie. And so if what he said wasn't true, then he couldn't be the prophet of God. We know that he is, so we know what he said is true. And if what he said is true, then that cuts out any other manner or means whereby a man might approach unto God than through Jesus Christ. He said, I'm the way. I'm the life. And the first begotten of the dead. Now we talked about that some last week, the first begotten of the dead. He's the first one who was ever raised from the dead in the whole creation of the world who continued to live. Now you see Lazarus was raised, was he not? from the dead, but he died again. Now, you figure that out. I mean, I don't have an explanation for all these things. I don't understand a lot of things. I see some things pretty clearly, though, that Lazarus, he had no understanding or knowledge of where he had been or what had happened to him. when he was in the tomb, did he? But when the Lord spoke to him, and he was awake, he came out of that tomb. But he was not the first fruits. He was not even the first one the Lord raised, because the Lord raised the widow of Nain's son, raised Jireh's daughter. But all of these went back to the earth. They ultimately lived the rest of their life and they died. But Jesus Christ, you see when he arose from the dead, he was the power that caused him to rise. He was the power that raised these others. He was the only one who had the power to raise himself from the dead. Now he was just as dead as anybody else has ever been dead. But yet, he being God, he raised himself. Now, I don't have an explanation for that. I know there's people that give explanations and they come up with all this idea of, well, he wasn't really The main one, you know, you had God up here, and he was down here as the son, and he couldn't, you know, he could only do so much, and so the Lord had to, God, the Father, had to raise him from the dead. Well, the Father did raise him from the dead. The Spirit visited him in the tomb, but it was him. And so he came forth from that tomb under his own power. He's the first begotten of the dead. That is, he is begotten out of the dead. He came forth from the dead because it pleased him to do so. The prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Now that's the gospel. You see, you can't preach the gospel without preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Because it is necessary, was necessary, not because God couldn't do anything else, but because God would be both just and the justifier of them which believe in Jesus. Jesus Christ came forth as a man, suffered as a man, and died as a man, he shed his own blood to take away our sin. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. That's not a principle that God was bound by. It's that which he would demonstrate, the manner in which he would demonstrate his love for his people in that he would give them a law that said the soul that sinneth shall die. And then he would demonstrate his great love for them by coming and actually dying for them. And shedding his own blood. And so, It's impossible to preach the gospel without preaching the blood of Christ that washes away our sin, takes it away. Now some say that baptism, water baptism washes away sin. The scripture does say in one of the declarations, be baptized, washing away your sins, but that's in believing in Jesus Christ. But the power that takes the sin away is neither the baptism nor the believing, but it's the blood of Christ. See, a man can't... taken to himself the blood of Christ by his own power. The blood of Christ has to be shed for him, and then God in his mercy must draw him to the point that he sees that. And when he sees that, he believes that. And so it is. Same with baptism. Baptism can't wash away your sin, but it is that which God told his people to do. It is a command from Him. Rise and be baptized. That's what Paul said to the Philippian jailer. And so it is. But it's the blood that washes away our sin, not the waters of baptism. It's not the faith that a man has. It's the blood of Christ. Because you see, Christ obtained eternal redemption for his people. He shed his blood and he made a payment. Now if you go into Walmart, and you put some product up on the table there, and they scan that thing in, and you pay your money for it, and you start walking out the door, and they tell you, wait a minute, That's our stuff, what are you gonna tell them? No. I paid for that. Belongs to me. And that's what Jesus Christ did when he went to Calvary's cross. He paid for the sins of his people. He took their sin away as far as east is from the west. And he remembers it no more. They belong to him. See, when he comes again, he's coming for his purchased possession. He's coming for that which He bled for. He's coming to claim it. And then He has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father. To Him be glory and dominion forever. Amen. Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him. and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is and which was, which is to come, the Almighty. Now, John, in his salutation to the seven churches, He's once again reiterating whose messenger he is. Lest anybody should think that he's coming in his own name, or coming in his own wisdom, coming in his own power. See, anybody can study the Bible and stand up in front of people and talk about it. But only those whom the Lord sends with his word are those who preach the everlasting gospel. And they don't do it in their own power, there's nothing they can boast in. It's not in their wisdom, it's not in their ability, but it's in the power of God to send his word. How does he do that? I don't even know. You know, I don't even know, I mean, people say, well, are you a preacher? I don't know. I think the Lord has caused me to preach sometimes. I don't think necessarily every time that a man stands up because he's called as a preacher that he's gonna preach. I mean, if the Lord doesn't give a man something to preach, he's not gonna preach. Only in the power of God do these things come forth. It doesn't come forth by a man's study, or come forth by a man's wisdom, or come forth from something somebody told him, or some book that he read. But the Lord gives men the word of God, and he sends them with it, and they speak. And what can they say? You know, what can they do? I mean, but testify of the things that we have seen and heard and those things that the Lord has taught us. And we know that we can be in error. I don't want you to ever believe anything I say, but I want you to go to the Word and to the testimony of God and search and see if these things be so. And I believe if they are, the Spirit of God will teach you. He'll lead you. He'll guide you. He'll direct your steps. And those that hear, with the ear, men hear, but with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. He cometh with clouds. Now, he didn't come with clouds the first time, did he? Came in a most humble fashion. Nobody even knew about it but a few straggly shepherds. Only people that knew anything about it. And they said, you know, we went and see this. We better get out here and tell some people about it. The Lord doesn't need brilliant men, talented men, to preach His everlasting gospel. He's able to raise up, He said He could raise up of the stones of the street to praise Him. He doesn't need one of us. But oh, what a privilege it is to behold Him. and what a privilege it will be to see him coming with the clouds. And it is indeed, dear brethren, the hope of God's people to see him coming in the clouds. Says he's going to come and every eye shall see him. And he says here, they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. He comes in power and triumph for the people of God, and they shall rejoice. See, we are not in the darkness. The scripture says that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. Sneaks up on you. But he said, ye, brethren, are not in the darkness, that they should overtake you as a thief in the night. Now it's gonna take the world. He's coming as a thief in the night. They'll have no concept of it. He'll just come and they'll be overwhelmed. But God's people, they will say, oh, praise the Lord. He comes in the clouds. But the world, the kindreds of the earth, those who are of the earth, they shall wail because of him. Because they will know who he is. They don't know who he is now, but they'll know who he is then. And they will wail, even so, amen. And then beginning in verse nine, and I'm gonna stop, but I just want to get to this third section that I was telling you about. You got the declaration of God, you got the salutation of John as he writes to the seven churches, and then he's gonna tell you what he saw. Because up to this point in time, we don't know what he saw. We know what he's reported to us, but now he's gonna give us an eyewitness account of what it is that the Lord showed him. And I'll read this first verse. He said, I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet. So John is beginning the declaration of what he saw. He was in the Isle of Patmos. History tells us, as we put together what he says here, that he was exiled to the Isle of Patmos by the Roman government for preaching the gospel. That's what he said right there. They didn't want to put him to death because they feared he'd become a martyr. if they put him to death, and that'd be even worse. So they exiled him to Patmos, and they said, well, good, we'll be rid of him. Oh, little did they know that it was all in the purpose and sovereign, ordained, predestined will of God, that all of those things happened. And John didn't get put on the Isle of Patmos by mistake. He didn't get put there in the Lord saying, well, now what am I gonna do? The Lord put him there because the Lord had a message that he wanted to bring through John. And so that's what we're gonna see as we look into this book. May the Lord give us a mind and heart to read and study this book. Now, I don't, I'm not, I'm not expecting you, and I'm not expecting myself, because I've looked at, I've read this book, I don't know how many times, and it's, many things in it, it's as mysterious to me as there were to start, but every time I read it, I see a little bit more of the one that the book's about. And all those other things just kind of fade off, they just don't really mean anything, they don't really, now I don't want to say this wrong, It's not that they don't have significance, but the significance of them always points to Christ. And I don't know what that is always, but I always know who the one is that the revelation belongs to, and who has given it to us, what a glorious savior he is.