Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Let no vice or sin remain that resist your holy woe. Thank you. Thank you. Help me now. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. In Jesus' name we pray. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. When years of time. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

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For those who sleep, do their sleeping at night. Those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober. Having put on the breastplate of faith, love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. It's not time to sleep. People who want to sleep don't want the light on.

They don't want strong messages. They don't want to be disturbed because they want to go to sleep. They're trying to rest. And when I come to church, I don't feel any rest. I feel stirred, and I don't want to be stirred because I want to go to sleep. So if you have a peacetime mentality, if you have a bunker mentality, everything that you're going to hear and see is going to be, does this help me to rest?

When he says, no, it's not time for you to go to sleep. He says to wake up. There will be a time when you will rest when he comes. There will be a time when we're in heaven where we don't have to worry about enemies. Where we don't have to shine our light because there's going to be a greater light that's going to be on constantly.

But now we are to shine that light in this dark world. So as long as we are here, he says, keep your lamps lit. 1 Peter 5, 7 and 8, cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be of sober spirit. Be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.

When's the last time you thought that you have an enemy who's very sober? Very sober, very alert prowling around to get you. You know how he gets you? He's not dressed in horns waiting in the bathroom in dark corners or in bad neighborhoods. The way he gets you is through your thoughts.

How you feel, what you covet, what you listen to, what you see. That's how he gets you. So through your thoughts, through your desire, through your coveting, you begin to feel a certain way and those feelings begin to dictate what is right and wrong for you. And all of a sudden you're deceived and you don't even know it.

That's why he says, stay sober. Be alert. Keep your lamps lit. In Matthew 24, 37, 38, for the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying, giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark.

They didn't say, you know, they were involved in debauchery, sinning, and they were getting drunk. They were, no. They were just living like everybody else, unaware of the judgment that was coming, eating and drinking and marrying. Yeah, just like everybody else. Because they were unaware of what was happening.

They were unaware of their sins. They were unaware of their rebellion. They were unaware of God's anger burning against them. So they were eating and drinking. I mean, it's interesting. It doesn't describe the debauchery. It doesn't describe orgies that were happening and child, you know, murder or sacrifice. No, it's just, they were just eating and drinking.

Our greatest challenge is this. What squashes our passion for Christ? What causes the Word of God to be, to be squashed in our lives is eating and drinking. It's daily concerns like everybody else. But I got to pay my bills. I got to raise my children. I got to do this.

And I got to, God didn't call everybody. The next thing you know, whatever passion you had when you were young, you no longer have. That's why you're passionate when you're in high school or in college. And then you graduate and you start working, paying bills, and then you get married.

And next thing you know, it's just a distant memory of how you used to be when you were young. And if you think about it, it's not because you chose to serve the devil. It's not because you chose not to love Jesus. You just love the world a bit more.

Next thing you know, the words that we're singing has no effect on you. The Word of God just seems like information. Bible study just seems like homework. You're no longer passionately seeking Christ. It says in Revelations, I'm sorry, Isaiah 40, 31, it says, we eagerly wait, right? Keep your lamps on because your master who's at a wedding, he's going to come back.

And so that when he comes back that you can immediately open the door, right? He talks about a banquet that when he comes that he's going to throw a bank in. Isaiah 40, 31, it says, though yet those who wait for the Lord, they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

Those who are eagerly waiting for the Lord to come back, they're going to find strength, right? Your strength doesn't come from accountability. Your strength doesn't come from being at a good church. Your strength doesn't come because you have a mentor in your life. He said, your strength comes from eagerly waiting for the Lord.

Eagerly waiting for the Lord. Why are you eagerly waiting for the Lord? Because he's your general. He's your captain. If we're in the context of struggle, you're going to hope that he will come because the final captain over all things. He said, when he comes, and when you eagerly wait for him, he said, you will find strength.

Our conviction to live godly lives and risk everything comes from, comes directly knowing that our home is over there when he comes. It's not here. We get so caught up, worried about our house, our budget, or how much money that we've saved. God, our security comes from our job and the security of our job and friends that we have.

He said, no, that's where those are superficial things that come and go. When you have it, you feel falsely secure. And then when you don't have it, your world falls apart. It's because we put our confidence in the wrong things. He says, he who waits upon the Lord will gain strength.

Again, in 1 John 2, 3, 2 to 3, beloved, now we are children of God and it has not appeared yet what we will be. We know that when he appears, we will be like him. Because we will see him just as he is and everyone who has this hope fixed upon him purify himself just as he is pure.

Let me get to the nitty-gritty, okay? So many people struggle with porn. Typically, we think like, you know, guys struggle with porn. And we live in a generation where the access has become so easy. Many of the ladies are struggling with this. This is destroying the church. And they're saying, well, how do I overcome it?

Well, if we look back at the core of it and I can talk you out of it, maybe if we had enough accountability, maybe if we shamed you enough, maybe if we read more books, maybe if there was more grace and people felt comfortable sharing. And you can go all of that.

But he says, He who fixes his eyes upon the coming of Christ, he purifies himself. You know why I don't want to watch porn? Because I have to preach on Sunday. You know why I don't want to watch porn? Because I want to share the gospel. I don't want to watch porn because the next time I talk to somebody about Jesus Christ, I don't want my eyes to be filled with filth and prevents me to speak with confidence and conviction.

Because as soon as my eyes are filled with filthy things, it prevents me to be bold. And I don't want to be in a position where I'm compromised. So the desire to be pure comes from this mission. Because I want him to come. And I want people to be saved.

But if you're not committed to the mission, and when you sin, the only thing that you're worried about is feeling bad. I feel bad. I shouldn't do this. But you don't realize the effect that it has. Why you are not able to be bold. Why convictions die. Because we are compromised by sin.

He says, He who fixes his eyes upon him, he purifies himself just as he is pure. And he says, When he comes, be ready, because he's knocking at the door. Revelation 3.20, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to him and will dine with him and he with me.

Not only has he gone to the wedding feast, when he comes back, he said, He's going to have a wedding feast with us. Isn't that crazy? That the master is going to come and serve the servants. And that's how it's described all over scripture. In Isaiah 25.6, The Lord of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all people on the mountains, a banquet of aged wine, choice piece and marrow, and refined aged wine.

He said, When he comes, the host is going to throw a banquet. And so we're eagerly waiting for this banquet to happen. I've probably been to over 200 weddings, officiated over 150 weddings. So I've been intimately involved with so many weddings. And the most common question that people have is that, Don't you get tired?

We have a string of weddings like we're in the middle of right now. Don't you get tired? Doesn't it get old? Never. I mean, how can you get tired of a party? Right? The two young people who are starting a new life together that they're going to remember for the rest of their lives.

It never gets old. I never come back from a wedding and say, Ah, yeah, man, I don't want to go to any more weddings. Never. I mean, because everybody's there. We're talking about Christ. We're enjoying each other's company. Everybody that loves each other are there. I mean, it's never depressing.

He says he's going to come and throw a banquet. He says, but you need to open the door. Psalm 23, 5, you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. He said, even as he is facing death, the valley of the shadow of death, he says, but you're going to prepare a table before me.

You're going to prepare a banquet in the presence of my enemies. Luke 13, 29, and they will come from east and west and from north and south and reclined at the table of the kingdom of God. so this, why are we taking the light into the darkness? So that they can also come to the banqueting table.

We're not simply going to the dark and say, hey, you need to suffer too. You need to have a difficulty. No, we're inviting them to the banquet. When you invite people to your banquet, you're inviting, who am I going to celebrate it? Who do you love? Who loves you?

That's the criteria that you go through to see who's going to come to the banquet. Who's going to rejoice with you? Who's going to celebrate with you? So we're going out to the world who does not know Christ so that they may be invited also to this banquet. Revelation chapter 19, 9, then he said to me, write, blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

and he said to me, these are the true words of God. You don't know when he's going to come. It might be the third or fourth hour, meaning anywhere from 9 to 3 a.m. Depending on how you calculate the Jewish time, basically he's saying, you don't know. Not just during the day, but when you least suspect it.

When everybody else is sleeping, he says, stay awake. And that's the struggle of being rich because our circumstances constantly lure us to think that we are at peace. And because our circumstance makes us feel like we are at peace, we live like we're at peace, and then all of a sudden our greatest treasure is choked.

So you don't find joy in Christ. You find the love of Christ, the peace of Christ, answered prayers, good friends who remember you and your birthday. but you're not weeping for the lost. That's what Christ is doing. He's weeping for the, he forsook everything to come and seek and save the lost.

We can say we're following Christ, but if we're not actually following in his footsteps, you're not going to understand why he's doing what he's doing. He's inviting us to the banqueting feast, and then he says, if you don't receive him and understand this banquet, and he said, he's going to come like a thief in the night.

The coming of Christ is either going to be at the door open to the banqueting table of heaven, or people are going to receive him like a thief that's coming. And that imagery is used over and over again in the New Testament. his second coming is going to be like a thief for those who are asleep, for those who are not awake, for those who are constantly living in FOMO.

You know how many people tell me, like, are you waiting for Jesus? He's like, oh yeah, you know, but can I get married first? Right? Trust me. At the banqueting table, you're not going to say, oh, you should have given me a couple more. Right? Trust me, you're going to forget.

When he comes, you're not going to say, you know what, my bucket list, I have seven down, I got three more to go. You know, I really wanted to go to Banff and I couldn't, so can you come tomorrow? Give me a couple more days. Right? You're going to forget all of this is going to look like trash when the new heavens and new earth comes.

Everything that we were tempted by, we're going to look back at it and say, I was tempted by that? Right? Do you remember some of the things that you were tempted by? Some of the clothes that you wore and how you had your hair when you were 15 years old?

Do you look at that and say, I wish that would come back? Some of it was so ugly. You know what I mean? Let me just share one, okay? There was a period when a bunch of Asian guys had their hairs braided and down their face like this and then they wore a size, 50 waist when their actual size was 26.

Okay, anyway, let me, I need to finish my message. Do you look back at that and say, I wish that would come back? I wish. Do you look at that with covet? Think about, you know, there might be some, somebody that you were very attracted to 10 years ago and you look back at that and it's like, what was I thinking?

When Christ comes, everything that you coveted is going to look like rubbish. Don't be caught off like a thief because when the thief comes, he comes to take, to destroy, to disturb if you're not ready, if you're not alert and if you're not sober, if you're not engaged in the mission that he's called us to.

In Luke 12, 39 to 40, but be sure of this, that the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. You too, be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.

I want to finish my sermon today. Do you have that video? Are you guys, you ready? Okay. Can I have the praise team come up and after we hear this song, Keith Green's song, and then we'll stand up for the closing praise. Okay, go ahead. Thank you. Do you see, do you see, do you see, all the people sinking down?

Don't you care, don't you care, are you gonna let them drown? How can you be so numb not to care if they come? You close your eyes and pretend the job's done. Oh, bless me, Lord, bless me, Lord, you know, it's all I ever hear. No one aches, no one hurts, no one even sheds one tear.

But he cries, he weeps, he bleeds, and he cares for your needs. And you just lay back and keep soaking it in. Oh, can't you see, it's such a sin. Cause he brings people to your door and you turn them away as you smile and say, God bless you, be in peace, and all heaven just weep.

Cause Jesus came to your door You've left him out on the streets Open up, open up and give yourself away You see the need, you hear the cries So how can you delay? God's calling and you're the one But like Johnny Rock He's told you to speak But you keep holding it in Oh, can't you see it's such sin?

The world is sleeping in the dark That the church just can't fight Cause it's asleep in the light How can't you be so dead When you've been so well-famed When Jesus rose from the grave And you, you can't even get out of bed Oh, Jesus rose from the dead Come on, get out of bed Come on, get out of your bed All right, let's pray Father, we eagerly wait for revival Help us Lord God Help us to see the people around us Who are suffering because Of their sins Because of the enemy's deception Where their eyes have been blinded Lord God That they do not see the glory of the gospel Help us Lord God as a church To be intercessors for them Not to simply put band-aids Lord God On how they feel But I pray that the power of the cross Would deliver them Lord God From the bondage Knowing, Father True freedom can only come When we come to you So we pray, Father God That you would help us To be a church Who is not ashamed of the gospel For knowing, Father It is the power of God Unto salvation To everyone who believes In Jesus' name we pray Amen Let's all stand up For the closing praise God is faithful to His word Even when there seems no way Though time may pass His memory will not fade His promises will never fail Faithful He has been Faithful He will be Time and time again Time and time again His word returns complete To His truth I cling When the night is deep Faithful He has been Faithful He will be God is gracious God is gracious God is gracious When I doubt He draws near Though I retreat Though I may wander Through the wilderness Through the wilderness He goes with me And gives me peace Gracious He has been Gracious He will be What I don't deserve The Father gives to me Where He leads my feet Where He leads my feet Where He leads my feet I shall not want or need Gracious He has been Gracious He will be God is worthy God is worthy God is worthy God is worthy God is worthy of my song Countless are His awesome deeds His mighty hand His mighty hand His mighty hand Has parter agencies For those He loves He has redeemed Worthy He has been Worthy He will be Growns in endless praise Growns in endless praise All earth and heaven sing Holy is the Lord Who reigns in majesty Worthy He has been Worthy He will be He is He is He is my provider Covenant protector All my hope is in The Lord my God He is my sustainer Merciful Redeemer Merciful Redeemer All my hope is in The Lord my God He is my He is my provider Covenant protector All my hope is in The Lord my God He is my sustainer Merciful Redeemer Merciful Redeemer All my hope is in The Lord my God Worthy He has been Worthy He will be Growns in endless praise All earth and heaven sing Holy is the Lord Who reigns in majesty Who reigns in majesty Worthy He has been Worthy He will be Oh worthy He has been Worthy He will be Growns in endless praise All earth and heaven sing Holy is the Lord Who reigns in majesty Who reigns in majesty Oh worthy He has been Worthy He will be Worthy He will be Worthy He has been Worthy He has been Worthy He will be Worthy He will be Worthy He has been Worthy He will be Worthy He has been Worthy He will be Amen Let's pray Now to Him who is able To keep you from stumbling And to make you stand In the presence of His glory Blameless with great joy To the only God our Savior Through Jesus Christ our Lord Be glory, majesty, dominion And authority Before all time And now and forever Amen God sent His Son God sent His Son They called Him Jesus He came to love Heal and forgive Him He lived and died To buy my pardon An empty grave is there to prove My Savior lives Because He lives I can face tomorrow Because He lives I can face tomorrow Because He lives All fear is God All fear is God Because I know He holds the future And life is worth the living Just because He lives Just because He lives Just because He lives Just because He lives Just because He lives One church, one faith, one hymn raised, God and God alone.

One cross, one grace, one name that saves, all praise to you belongs. All praise to you belongs, we lift you high.