His Perfect Love

Guest (Male): Judgment is coming to this earth, but you don't have to be on the receiving end of it, as Pastor Matt explains.

Matt VanderVen: We know what's coming. The reality is not a single human being has to be here for it. These numbers are so staggering that there's nobody that's really going to escape it. The society and civilization as we know it today, no matter how much you hunker down, no matter how much you believe what you think is right or don't right, the reality is is Jesus Christ the creator of heaven and earth. And all creatures has said, those that are not washed and covered in my blood will be judged with a righteous justice. That same God has also said, what are you waiting for?

Today is the day of salvation.

Guest (Male): It's good to be with you again and welcome to His Perfect Love with Pastor Matt Pandervin. We've reached a turning point in our study of Revelation as the tribulation begins and God's wrath is being poured out. If you're wondering right about now, why would God do this, stick around. Pastor Matt will address that as we begin, but he also wants us to see the wonderful hope in it all. You see, God is wanting to save mankind right now and continues to reach out in His perfect love. Turn to Revelation chapter 6 and join us.

Matt VanderVen: If you were to stand before a judge this morning, what is the one thing you really care to know about that judge? Is that judge just? Is that judge impartial, unbiased, unable to be uh swayed by popular opinion, by uh favors and bribes and uh all kinds of things, right? You want to know that judge is just, don't you? Every one of us. Would anyone feel comfortable going in front of a judge that's not just? Absolutely not. And you can't separate what just implies to the character of the individual because if they're not just, they're what?

Un just. The opposite must be true as well. So, when you look at Acts chapter 10 and just looking at verse 34, you might remember this is when Peter was going to Cornelius's house and beautifully he opens his mouth and he declares something that I believe was a direct revelation from Jesus himself. He says, then Peter opened his mouth and said in verse 34, in truth. And he begins there. That sounds pretty important. In truth. In fact and in integrity. I perceive that God shows what? No partiality. So, the first thing that Peter helps Cornelius and the whole household understand is that God is a God of justice, a God of truth, and God is not a respecter of persons.

Right? What are some of the other things we know about God? Well, first he, or second if you will, he commands against the mistreatment of others. Passages like Zechariah chapter 7 verse 10. Those that are most vulnerable that you know, despicably or treacherously take advantage of other people. He actually tells us in 2 Thessalonians 1 6 that that Jesus, that God himself perfectly executes vengeance against oppressors, those who afflict, those who you know, persecute. And not only there, but Romans chapter 12 verse 19. God is also just in meeting our rewards. It works both ways.

Hebrews chapter 6 verse 10. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have showed towards His name and that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. He's equally just in meeting out punishments. Colossians chapter 3 verse 25. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done and there is no partiality. Are we starting to get the equation how every time in scripture we see something saying how God is a righteous and just God and justice will be served, uh God also turns around and says, I will reward those who choose in obedience to walk after me.

God is just. On, you know, you could see both sides. Those that are practicing evil and wickedness, God brings justice. Those that are doing good and obedience and favored unto the Lord, God brings justice. Both are justice in that right uh manifold and full manifold witness that God and the Holy Spirit is given. That's what we need to see. It is a parcel and part of God that cannot be separated. Psalm 89 verse 14. Justice and righteousness which are always uh at work in the hand or they always at work hand in hand and are the foundation of God's throne.

Did you hear that? When you think of the foundation of God's throne, we just spent time in Revelation chapter 4 looking at the throne room of God. Did you realize that all of that, Psalm 89 14 was built on the foundation of justice and righteousness? And Psalm 89 14 tells us that. It's the foundation of God's throne. And justice was satisfied once and for all. Here's the great news. As God sent His only son into the world to be our substitute. It was justice to do that as well. 2 Corinthians 5 21. For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

That too is justice. God has been crying out throughout the ages. Please don't. Please don't. He's been asking His creation, please don't. And we responded, we'll do as we please throughout the ages. We'll do as we please. You see, God cannot merely overlook high treason against Him. If he did, he wouldn't be perfectly just. You know, that word high treason, it's something that came to me because it's it's also part of a legal term. If somebody was to commit a crime against a nation, against a government, against a people group, would be called treason. We've actually had men and women in our country be tried for treason.

And God, it's the kingdom of God. And there is high treason. I don't think many of us think about it like that, but that's exactly how it looks according to the kingdom of God. And just as it would be wrong for us to ignore high treason, it would be wrong for Jesus to ignore that because he's perfectly just. The the opposite of that is also true too is that he cannot retract His love. Jesus says His agape love is unconditional, which means he can't retract our love despite our rebellion. Did you Did you catch that?

Even even despite our rebellion um or it wouldn't be what? Perfect or unconditional love. So, what did Jesus do? He became the lamb of God, John 1 29. And God sacrificed on the altar of justice. For Christ also suffered once for our sins that the just and unjust, it actually says that that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. 1 Peter 3 18. He uses the word just and unjust too because all of heaven is completely aware of what I'm sharing with you this morning and it's God's testimony is found in the scripture.

Righteousness and justice go together and they cannot be separated. And because the same justice that's been satisfied, God pronounces you and I and everyone who comes to him not guilty. Hallelujah. Not guilty. Upon all those who are in Christ, you can see that again in Romans chapter 3 verse 24. And those that are called by His name, John chapter 1 verse 12. But justice now insists that once sin has been paid for and this is that same justice that God defines, guess what? It can't be brought up again. When our sins are under the blood of His sacrifice, God holds them against us no more.

We need to understand that foundationally. Romans 8 1 Colossians 2 14 1 Peter 2 24 and Isaiah 43 25 all speak to that same reality. What it would be to be like Jesus as we are called by His name as Christians, are we to follow Him, to go after Him that way, to do those things? What it would be if we would humble ourselves before a living God. God remains just. He is violating His own code of justice by pardoning those who deserve its consequences. Salvation is a just consequence because God has pronounced Jesus's death and resurrection sufficient to satisfy His wrath.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Having become a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. That's what it says in Galatians chapter 3 verse 13. God is just. And His justice is an indispensable part of His character in the same way that His love and mercy are indispensable. Does everybody get that? Does everybody see that? Without His justice, sin would run unchecked. Evil would win. There would be no reward for obedience. We could not respect the God who is not just. Micah chapter 6 verse 8 summarizes the top three qualities that God wants to see reflect in us.

He says, He has shown you, oh man, I like the term oh mortal, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? He's told us very clearly, what does God require of us? But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. So, God's perfect connecting judgment is that anyone in His creation that sins does what they were not created to do, the unjust, including actions and thoughts are separated from Him, from God. And those who are found in just in Christ. And what we read in the book of uh Revelation here beginning in chapter 6 is God's plan to bring justice, righteous judgment to His creation.

And I I really believe this is foundational, okay? This is the foundation, the understanding of justice, the wrath of God's character, the opening of the scroll, the seven seals in Revelation 6 is where many begin to struggle in the book of Revelation. This is important because then they start to say, well, why would God allow this? Why is God doing this? And to remedy this, some have tried to argue the judgments. They've said, well, he doesn't really mean this. This is just symbolic. Or or or maybe there's somebody that's sitting here that's saying, but but maybe many of this was accomplished early on in the church.

Maybe before the temple was destroyed in 80 70. Or or maybe this is really been taking place throughout all of human history. These arguments don't hold up under our biblical and historical evidence. All of this points to a future fulfillment. There was an early church father. His name was Irenaeus. How many of you have heard of Irenaeus? He lived in the 2nd century. He writes in His works against heresies, 5 30 3. You can look this up. That John, right? The the inspired author of Revelation received the revelation, he says, in our own time toward the end of the reign of Domitian.

Anybody remember when Domitian reigned? His reign concluded in AD 96, which means we know that the Bible, specifically the book of Revelation, had to be written somewhere between AD 90 to 95 at the time when this was given to us by Irenaeus. We also know, and specifically that the temple was destroyed in 80 70. So, it can't have anything to do with that. Also, in the beginning of John's vision, just look in your Bibles, please turn to Revelation chapter 1 look at verse 19. He says, write the things in which you have seen, the things that are and the things that are to take place after this.

You see, these things be true. And this is what's called a futurist interpretation of the book of Revelation and it's resting on very solid ground. Revelation chapter 1 verse 19. The seal, the trumpet and bowl judgments are introduced in chapter 6, 8 and 15 of Revelation. Each judgment is broken up into seven distinct acts and bring destruction to the earth to those who are alive at that time. The number seven in the Bible often refers to the perfection and completeness and the fact that there are three categories of judgment. Maybe that's pointing back to the Trinity, the complete and fullness of God, the triune God.

And the full judgment that will be brought on a rebellious world. And the seven seals of Revelation being with Jesus's wrath against the wicked on the earth. The first, as I've already mentioned, the first four seals are very similar with each unleashing a different colored horse. We read about that this morning. Each horse is different and unique, right? And then we get the fifth, sixth and seventh seal and it says that and I 'm going to treat those sort of those subsequent seals together and different, but the first seal, verse 1 and 2, I'll read it again.

Now, I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, come and see. And I looked and behold a white horse and he who sat on it had a bow and a crown was given to him and he went on conquering to conquer. Many believe this is the antichrist. And please notice it says it was given. I'll talk a little bit more about that next week. In other words, the antichrist isn't the one that's taking for himself. No, it's given to him.

It's allowed for this to happen. Then you look at the second seal. And what happens in the second that well, wars you know, begin to break out, peace is lost. Do you remember that part of the work of the antichrist is and we're going to study these passages, there's going to be a rebuilt temple. Ezekiel teaches us that. And then with the rebuilt temple, we see that there's going to be a peace treaty set up with Israel. And then the abomination of desolation that Daniel talks about which is the antichrist, right? Is going to walk in and desolate that that throne.

How's he going to do that? He's going to declare himself to be God. That is an effect going to cause the Jewish people to cry out to Messiah Jesus, to call out to God for help because they're going to realize this is blasphemy and that he cannot sit on the throne that way. And then what be happens then next he says is that in the second seal, the peace is lost and war begins to break out. Then the third seal, famine breaks out because literally by the time you have four seals, 25% of the population.

The ultimate result of this four seal and the third seal is war and famine which brings death. I just want to bring up a website to give you some statistics and what we're talking about, okay? If you scroll all the way up to the top, this is called the world oh meter and I it's fine. It's got a good name. It fits. It's a world oh meter. We get the current world population and you see it's it's adjusting for birth, death and growth. So, roughly today as we understand it, it's 8.195 billion, right? Everybody see that?

So, if I was to take roughly 25% of that which will culminate with the first four seals, what am I talking about? Let's just make numbers simple, uh 2.05 billion or 2 billion. I'll go into more numbers specifically. I just want this sort of hit home for a second here this morning. You're talking about 2 billion people, a quarter of the population of the earth. And this is still mercy because it 's not to the next set which will be the trumpet judgments which take a third and then finally the fourth set which is the bowl vial judgments which go throughout the whole world and there is no limit.

Just please allow the magnitude of this to set in this morning. If you scroll down, you can see just how does this affect countries and nations around us. So, if you scroll down, you'll see the top three largest countries by population. Very interesting here. If you look at the first one, India, it has 1.457 105 760 population roughly. That may change. It changed by 20,000 already this morning or so since I was in first service. But that population, if I was just to take 25% of that population, do you realize that's what will be dead.

That's the death that's coming because of righteous judgment. That that will be larger than the entire United States, the USA's entire population as we understand it today. It'll be somewhere around 360 million. Look at the second one, China. Think about our pharmaceuticals, so much of our import, export product come from China, a lot of different things. I just want you to take this in. 1.417 billion 777 757. You look at that and you start to think 25% of that. That's roughly 300 and I think 52 million roughly if I just take 10 25% it's constantly fluctuating.

That's larger than the United States of America. In two countries, we saw twice the population of what we see in the United States of America will be decimated and destroyed. People, lives. And then the USA, just in our country here today, out of 346 million people, 80 something, 82 million if I'm doing this correctly. 82 million. 82 million people will find death and destruction because of the rejection as we talked about because they're found dead in their sin and trespass. I mean, these numbers are staggering. Are they not staggering this morning? It it's sobering when we look at this and and look I don't want to end right here, right?

But as I began the message this morning, the message was what? It was all about hope. We know what 's coming. The reality is not a single human being has to be here for it. These numbers are so staggering that there's nobody that's really going to escape it. The society and civilization as we know it today, no matter how much you hunker down, no matter how much you believe what you think is right or don't right, the reality is is Jesus Christ the creator of heaven and earth. And all creatures has said, those that are not washed and covered in my blood will be judged with a righteous justice.

That same God has also said, what are you waiting for? Today is the day of salvation. Give your life to Jesus Christ. Ask Him to come. It as we just read, it doesn't matter where you are, what you've done, the things you've even thought. Jesus Christ is faithful to meet you where you're at and he's also faithful to take you from that place and put you on a firm foundation. As we looked at it, none of us have to be a statistic. God is given us the beautiful illumination of light knowing that we are saved.

He's given us a beautiful hope and a security. But we need to turn our eyes off of each other, right? It's important the church, the bride of Christ, we ought to be in unity. Body of Christ worldwide, not dividing, but unifying because there's a commission that was given by Jesus, wasn't it? It's called the great commission. And the reality is there are people right now that don't know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. And I can't think of a better Christmas gift than to give someone the hope of eternity through Christ Jesus.

Guest (Male): That is Pastor Matt Pandervin on His Perfect Love. Remember you can access these studies in Revelation at our website, hisperfectlove.org or listen to us at oneplace.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Pastor Matt, I love that you pointed to the hope to be found in Jesus Christ here at the close of our program. It's been a rather heavy discussion about the wrath of the lamb, but as you said, we don't have to experience this if we'll turn to Jesus. Now, if someone is wanting to be saved, what are the next steps and would you lead them in a prayer to receive the Lord into their life?

Matt VanderVen: Absolutely. I'd like to first encourage any of our listeners or their friends to go to ccharrisburg.org/gospel. That's ccharrisburg.org/gospel. We put together some resources for someone who would like to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. You know, Jesus who is God in the flesh bore our sins in His body on the cross. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 24 tells us that. He He died in our place. He paid the penalty of our sin that we should really have fallen upon us. He finished the work by dying on the cross so that we could be forgiven and justified in Him alone.

So, how do I know Jesus, right? Maybe there's somebody thinking that today. How do I know Jesus? How do I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior? I think the first thing we need to do is acknowledge God loves you. The Bible says, God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3 16. I think the second thing we need to acknowledge is that we've all sinned. The Bible tells us that we've done things, thought things um that are evil or wrong and that's called sin and it separates us from God.

The Bible says, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans chapter 3 verse 23. You see, God is perfect and holy and our sins separate us from God forever. The Bible says, the wages of sin is death. That's in Romans chapter 6 verse 23. So, that leads us to acknowledging the third thing. God sent His only son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and the reality is we need a Savior. Jesus is the son of God. He lived a sinless life and then He died on a cross to pay the penalty of of your sin and my sin, our sins.

And God's demonstrated that His own love for us and that while we were yet sinners, He died for you and I. And if you were the only person He would have died for you. Romans chapter 5 verse 8. You see, Jesus rose from the dead and now He lives in heaven with God the Father. And He offers us the gift of eternal life, uh living forever with Him in heaven if we accept Him as Lord and Savior. But there's an important point and this is acknowledgement for. There is only one way. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except by me.

John 14 6. So, God reaches out to us in love and He wants us to be His children. It says as many as received Him, to Him He gave the right to become children of God even to those who believe on His name. You see, you can choose to ask Jesus Christ to forgive you for your sins, to come into your your life and to be your Lord and Savior. And that all culminates with this decision, our first acknowledgement. And that's deciding to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. If you want to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, turn from your sins and ask Him to be your Savior and Lord.

If that's what you want to do today, if you want to do that right now, please pray with me. Bow your head. Let's pray together. Lord Jesus, I believe you are the son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you into my life and my heart to be my Lord and Savior and I want to serve you always. And I pray all of this, Father, in the name of your son Jesus Christ and we pray together. Amen.

If you've if you've prayed that prayer just now, I want to invite you again to go to ccharrisburg.org uh gospel. That's ccharrisburg.org gospel. And there's a phone number right at the bottom of that page that you can call to reach the church office and uh give them your name and your address. We want to send you a Bible. It's a gift from Jesus Christ so that you can start to learn a little bit more about Jesus and the love relationship that He wants to have with you. I pray God continues to bless you richly.

Guest (Male): Amen. Friend, if you just prayed along with Pastor, welcome to the family. And if you would, please share this exciting news with us. You can email us through the website at hisperfectlove.org And then join us next time when Pastor Matt will pick up where we left off in Revelation here on His Perfect Love.

Matt VanderVen: His Perfect Love is brought to you by Calvary Chapel Harrisburg Westshore.