Jesus considers the Church His current home on Earth, but He has gone to prepare a place for believers in Heaven. At the Second Coming, Christ will return to collect His followers – both the dead and the living – in an event known as the Rapture. We will then be eternally united with Him in our heavenly home. This promise offers great comfort and hope, but it also emphasises the urgency of ensuring a personal relationship with Jesus now, before His return. The Church isn’t just a building or tradition, but a family of those who do the Father’s will and know Christ personally.

Automatically Generated Transcript
[00:00:00] In the morning service we did start from the passage in Mark that’s on the screen for you and the thing about this passage is that it’s about the Second Coming of Christ Now, tonight I wanted us to talk for a little while, not about everything to do with the Second Coming, but just a few aspects and attach that talk of the Second Coming Jesus purpose as to where is his home. In the morning service the question asked was, where does Jesus consider to be his home and generally speaking people generalize in their minds from the Lord’s prayer when Jesus prays to the Father and says, our Father who is in heaven and so people have in the back
[00:00:55] at their minds that heaven is Jesus’ home. Certainly heaven is from where he came. He and the father, the Holy Spirit, the three persons of our one God – mystery though that is, I can’t explain it anymore – but heaven is his original home. Jesus came on behalf of all that God is to earth to take on humanity in order to begin all that was necessary for our salvation and in so doing he came down to earth and made home. By taking on humanity he lived as humans do before under his father, Father God, and all the way through his living he example how a person properly lives in obedience to the father, relying on the father’s help and
[00:01:54] power to do all that he was asked to do. And…but nonetheless while he was with his disciples he had a sense of home with them and that was what we’re looking at this morning and how I was Applying it was simply to the statement that the church belongs to Christ. The church is his home, and we’re not in charge of it, but he is. But now we need to take into account some other passages where Jesus, talking to his disciples, says like this one,
[00:02:29] he says, it’s like a man going on a journey, leaves home, puts his servants in charge of the house, and is getting ready to go to heaven. And so we need to understand what’s happening to Jesus’ location of home when he goes back to heaven, and that’s what tonight I thought I’d continue from the morning to explain from the scriptures this. Now we’ll go to some other passages
[00:03:02] and we’ll go to John for example, John’s gospel. And the next passage we’ll look at is one where Jesus is talking about the disciple to the disciples about the fact of his leaving them. And they naturally are troubled because much of their security is in the help of having Jesus there with him. He’s the miracle worker. He’s the one who’s taught the heavenly secrets. He’s the one who has raised the dead, as in Lazarus. So He’s the one that stilled the storm.
[00:03:35] and if ever you’ve had a chance to really spend your time reading the four Gospels, I’m sure you’ve been amazed at the miracles that Jesus did. And if you had him with you, you’d feel pretty secure. But then when he begins to talk about the fact that he’s going to go to heaven, they’re feeling very insecure. So, Jesus is talking to them here in John 14 in verses one to three. He says, let not your heart be troubled?
[00:04:04] believe in God, believe also in me. Now, let’s not race past that statement, believe in God, believe also in me. There’s a mystery in that, and especially as you put it together with all the other passages that Jesus spoke about, who he was, it’s very clear that Jesus is God, and yet he is not the father, He, as taking on humanity, has then given him the opportunity as the god-man to live beneath Father God and to example how we are to live under heaven before God, trusting
[00:04:48] in God. You need to understand that your belief is not just that Jesus is God, but that Jesus is God and the Father is God and the Holy Spirit is God. And these three are one. The Old Testament has that verse that talks about the oneness of our God. And it says in a most puzzling way, it says the Lord our gods, using the Hebrew word elohim is the plural for God, the Lord our gods, But carries on saying something that’s a grammatical mistake if you’re trying to continue the plurality of God’s.
[00:05:32] He says, the Lord our God’s is, it’s a singular verb, the verb to be, the Lord our God’s is one. And the Jewish people never did come to understand that there is God the Father and there is God the Son, that there is God the Holy Spirit … They somehow had contact with events, should have made them aware but it was too much for them. But our one God is in three persons. And Jesus here says, Believe in God but also believe in Me. And we are to stretch out understanding of our one God and understand that he is One. But it’s not a oneness of solitude, it’s a oneness of unity.
[00:06:23] The Lord our God’s plural is singular, one united, one God. But then he goes on to speak about what’s going to happen in heaven and he calls it my father’s house. Human is the father’s house, but he says there are many English Bible will read rooms. Some versions put mansions and so you’ve got quite a famous understanding that there’s many mansions in heaven. But is because the translations are struggling to get a meaning that’s appropriate for this word that’s rooms, mansions, resting places is another. And in fact, that’s exactly the idea of
[00:07:16] what’s intended in this passage. All of us have had a capacity in our humanity to find ourselves a home where you are at rest. And in the morning service. I gave the illustration that my family had. Moving around all the time, my parents were from Sydney. They flew to Perth for dad to take on a job. And I was born there in West Australia. They moved from there to Sydney, they moved from there to Adelaide, they moved from there to Brisbane. And me, growing up in the various stages, was hopping around all these states. And I discovered that that it took a while for me when I shifted state for something to occur that I really felt at home in the new place, but there is a capacity we have in our humanity to find what it is to at last turn that bedroom into one, which is our bedroom, to turn that group
[00:08:16] of people with whom we mix into our friends and particularly to feel in our family that But we are there now at home in another state, and it does happen and as a result of that I am like an onion and can go to all those other states and it is like peeling off another part of the onion and there is another me which thinks of myself in terms of the one I have gone back to. Because we have got this capacity to find somewhere that we have moved to as eventually home, and he becomes your resting place where you are at home. And Jesus here uses the word that is translated. So, to be a resting place or to be a room or to be a mansion, it’s why the varied translations are tried by the different
[00:09:09] translations. He uses that word to say, in my father’s house are many opportunities for people to have a resting place, to be at home. And he’s going to heaven to do some hard work there to make there to be for you a resting place that you will be at home. If it were not so, he says, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you? He’s trying to say that the purpose of his going to Heaven, at this juncture, includes — he’s going there to do the work to prepare for you. There was a tradition for people back in his day where a young man might get a young woman
[00:09:59] ready to marry him, but then the young man would go and, with perhaps his dad’s help, would prepare a place, a home. And a part of what was done for the young family to be was to have prepared for them somewhere where they could be at home, and the Bible teaches the normalcy of when people get married, that they go and make a new home. Now, that’s not to speak against my son, Lachlan, who’s present with his bride
[00:10:30] that he got married to in Japan though she’s Chinese, they found they could meet in Japan and got married in a civil service And he’s living upstairs in our house, and that’s due to economic reasons. But eventually, he and she will settle in what will be there. He actually does have a una, but it’s rented out. And that’s how he’s paying the mortgage. But eventually, I’m telling you more than I should.
[00:10:56] But eventually, they will be in their own home. We’re enjoying them coming to be a part of our family. And that’s actually a part of what it is when you find your home. Because what makes something home is not just the geography, it’s not just the four walls and the opportunity to do your washing, all those things help. But what makes it a home is actually the people in it. Now, I want us to turn to a spot in Matthew,
[00:11:30] turn to the first Matthew verse. And see that Jesus was very aware of this. Some thing happened because he’s teaching people at this stage, his disciples were with him, and in Matthew 12, while he was still speaking to the people, behold his mother and his brothers stood outside asking to speak to him. They’re doing a pretty usual thing for families to be sort of coming and claiming allegiance, and they think that if they turn up
[00:12:00] where Jesus is busy teaching, that they can whistle him outside, and he’ll stop everything and go out and treat them in honor. That would have been normal, by the way. But he replied to the man who told him, who is my mother? And who are my brothers? The stretching out his hand toward his disciples who were sitting there with quizzical looks in their face, I’m sure. He said, here are my mother and my brothers,
[00:12:29] for whoever does the will of my father In Heaven, He is my Brother and Sister and Mother. Now we know from elsewhere that Jesus treated His Mother with respect. From the cross, He saw her suffering. And she watched what was happening to him. And He says, a woman. Behold your son. That actually was because He’s saying, I see you, mum, in seeing me.
[00:12:53] I know what you’re going through. But standing next to her was John, the youngest of the disciples. And he said… And he mentioned to his mother that John was to be like a son. He was giving her another son because he was about to die and telling the lad or the young disciple John, here’s your mother. So I know that Jesus respected his family but he’s making a point here that he wants us to understand. I hope you’re listening, that what makes a home a home is not just the geography.
[00:13:32] It’s not just the traditions, it’s the people. And those who are his people are those who do the will of the Father in heaven, in a normal home. The people who in my house occasionally do what I want, or more than occasionally. But they are part of the home because of the connection with the parents. The home is not made up just by the geography, but is made up by the relationships of the family. And the relationship that Jesus has to share is with Father God. He has had a long prayer time where he .. prayed to the Father and very personal prayer. and prayed for them that they would not be lost, and prayed for them that they
[00:14:26] would go through all the difficulties that were going to come to them. Jesus is concerned for his people, and what makes heaven- eventually to be heaven- is that he has his people with him. I don’t know whether this has ever broken in on you that Jesus makes his home this morning’s message is in the church. Though he’s in heaven next to the Father, he has an existence in the church through being in our hearts and being in our company. And we just had communion service, which is actually about the little word communion, is with Jesus. And we are his people in in his home in the church. But this juncture in his ministry on earth he was about to go to heaven in order to prepare it, and what was he going to prepare it for? He’s going to prepare it for his friends and his family because we are all to be transferred eventually
[00:15:34] to when heaven is His home. At the moment Jesus’ home is in the church. He is with the Father and interceding for us at the Father’s right hand, but He’s also present by His Spirit in the Church. And the mystery of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit is what makes possible His being both in heaven, but But also he is here on earth and he’s with us. And the mystery of the church as the Bible teaches it is Jesus in the church and not just Jesus on his own but Jesus in relationship to us is what makes it home for him. And in the morning service I was referring to Revelation chapters one and two,
[00:16:28] where Jesus speaking to the churches reminds the church that sort of represents these final era as a place where he’s not recognized very much in the church. And that’s actually true, sadly. There’s lots of places you can go where what he’s going to church is about a tradition, or it’s about a type of activity or it’s about a set of ethics, and what church should be about is that it’s about Jesus and about our relationship to Him.
[00:17:07] So in the final letter to the churches in Revelation, and I do encourage you to read that layer to see in letter … I think it’s chapter 3, or 2 or 3 of Revelation. where Jesus pictures himself as outside the door. And he says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any person hear my voice and will get up and open the door. I’ll come in and to that one, and fellowship with that one. I’ll come on and in up to that person and fellowship with them. Jesus pictures His request to the Church of our age, I believe to be one where he’s calling on individuals to let him into his own
[00:17:52] church, because what makes it church is the relatives, not the ones who were just blood relatives. Well, actually we are blood relatives, but his blood shouldn’t across for us. And well, that’s what makes here his home. The price that is paid to redeemers and the fact that we’ve been brought into relationship with him is God’s method of making us right with him but that’s not the finish to the story and this morning I had some other verses to get through but I didn’t get get to do the whole sermon,, which is why I’m doing it now with you. Well, let’s turn to John’s Gospel, and John’s Gospel is the next spot. Or should I be turning?
[00:18:52] Second Matthew 1. Yes, thank you. And I tell you, this is when Peter is asked a question, to either people say that I am, Jesus asked, and Peter comes out with a great statement, you are the Christ, the son of the living God, and Jesus says how right he is, and then he says, you didn’t get that by your ideas. Flesh and blood hasn’t revealed it to you, he says, but my father who is in heaven.
[00:19:22] And I tell you that you’re Peter, Peter’s name Petra, it means a little stone, and on this rock, and he used the word not for a little stone but a great rock, I will build my church.” So, it’s not Peter himself, so being a pope wasn’t the way he is to do it. But on the statement that Jesus is the Christ, he says, I will build my church. Notice whose church it is. Jesus Church. Not only is he the foundation of stone but he’s the one who’s going to build the church.
[00:19:55] The gates of hell share not prevail against it, he will window over all the forces of Satan. So the Church is something that Jesus built on the fact that he is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and the fact that people can come to know him and be blessed by that relationship they come into with him as he is the Christ. Now let’s go further to the Book of Thessalonians. And in one Thessalonians, and chapter four, I think it is. I’ll soon be put right as we’ve put that up on the screen. But in the book of Thessalonians, it talks about us going to be with Jesus and the fact
[00:20:45] that he’s going to fulfill his words when he said, if I go away, I’m going to come back and collect you. And so in 1 Thessalonians, we have this passage, and we’ll put it up on the screen in a moment. But it is Jesus talking about how he will come back to collect his own. And there it is in chapter four, verses 13 to 18. He says, I don’t want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep. Now, he’s talking nicely about people who’ve died.
[00:21:20] That you may not grieve, as others do, who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. When a person dies, their spirit, their soul, their personhood goes to be with Jesus, and they’re kept with Jesus in heaven. So there are lots and lots of stories of people on a death bed suddenly having a vision of Jesus coming to collect them. Not everybody does, but Jesus always comes to collect them but not
[00:22:00] everybody has a vision of that before they actually die. But it is amazing the stories of folk who are good Christians who know and trust in the Lord and when they die they sometimes say, I see Jesus. And there is an amazing thing that happens to Christians in that final moment. If you’ve ever been with someone who, that moment came, then you probably know what I’m talking about. There is a peace that comes to them as they pass away. And Jesus is talking about it here. for since we believe that Jesus died in Rosie, and even so through Jesus, God will bring with Him, because they’ve been taken to heaven when they died, God will
[00:22:50] be working with Him, those who will fall asleep, those who die. But we declare this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, so say He Howd have come next week to those disciples He’s talking to, they would be still alive but he’d arrive, but he’s telling them that they won’t precede those, who’ve fallen asleep, those who’ve died. Just because you stay alive won’t get you into that kingdom quicker, than the ones who died a long time back and went to Heaven, and Jesus when He comes brings them with Him. For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of command … and a comment on that cry of command in just a moment, but a cry of command and with a command them with the voice of the Archangel, the reiterating call of the
[00:23:39] Archangel, Jesus cries first that cry of command is a certain word that was used for example of the Charioteers who had a bunch of horses and they’re in the big horse race and I’ve got a whip and they cry of a command to keep those horses going flat out. The cry of command is a cry of authority and when Jesus comes from heaven he’s going to bring with him those who had died earlier who were for Christians, He’s gonna bring them with him and with a cry of command and the reiterating call of the archangel and the sound of the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first.
[00:24:19] Now, what’s that? It is the souls and spirits of those who went to Heaven brought back with Jesus as He comes, rejoined to a reconstituted body and rise out of the dead with a physical bodily life. a resurrection body, just as was Jesus, when he burst out of the tomb. And the reason why we teach about the resurrection, starting with the teaching on Jesus’ resurrection, is because he rose the other side of death. He didn’t rise like Lazarus, who came back to life and had to die again. But when Jesus rose, he rose the other side of death having conquered death.
[00:24:56] And when he brings people in the spirit and bodiless condition back with him when he comes At this moment, the cry of command is going to cause. There to be a resurrection of the bodily side and they will be rejoined with the spiritual side and they will be totally alive as one is the other side of resurrection. The dead in Christ are going to rise first before the rest of us get changed. The book of Corinthians also comments about this moment that we will all be changed
[00:25:27] if you’re a Christian alive at the moment and you’ve still got the old-age body, you know, people like me have. And you’ll be a person who’ll be changed and you’ll discover you’re the other sign of death and all the things that are associated with the punishment of the human race actors for falling into sin which causes all the difficulties we have with our bodies, that will be gone and you’ll have a body like Jesus, one that is a supernatural body that will be kept forever. The dead in Christ will rise first and they, we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. This is what’s commonly referred to the rapture. By the way, the word rapture simply comes from the Latin, for what that word is, you
[00:26:17] can look at it up in the screen, we will be caught up together. In the Greek it’s the word harpazo, and it means to be snatched away, to be caught up. And so, the picture is of when that cry of command comes, the bodies and the tombs get changed and people who are the souls and spirits that are brought back with Jesus are put in them and they rise. That happens, we can’t get ahead of them in the order of things. we who are alive at the time we will be changed and we caught up together with the others to meet Jesus and this is an event in the atmosphere in the air, something that is not just on earth where your feet are still on the ground
[00:27:01] but something where you’re caught up to meet the Lord in the Air. I had a real thrill the first time I went to Chicago to visit what is the Evangelism Museum that’s been set up by the BGEA, the Billy Graham Group and given as a gift to WhEaton Graduate School. And all the first floor, which is a very big floor is the housing of this Evangelism Museum. And you can see all sorts of exhibits. There’s some old fashioned types of recording of sermons and you can hear Billy Sunday who was an old preacher, a fair time back, and you put it on like a record.
[00:27:45] It goes around like this, and you can hear Her crackly in preaching. And there’s a lot of other aspects of that museum. But one of the things they’ve done is to do a way that you walk through a series of things, steps, and follows some trails. And it takes you through all the facts of the Gospel from an activity scene, and eventually through the fact of the cross, where Jesus died, I’ve had an exhibit of the cross similar to one maybe
[00:28:15] that Jesus died on. And then it goes to the resurrection scenes. You get something of the scene at the tomb. And then it goes to something. You’ve got to go up some stairs to use the factors. The very big building. And they’ve got a very high, very large ground floor that has this museum. And as you go up these stairs, you suddenly come out to a very well lit thing
[00:28:38] that’s out into the air. You step out to this thing, and you find that you’re in the middle of the air. You’re in planks, of course. But there’s things that are set up to give you a sense that you’re amongst the clouds. What it is is that museum’s seeking to try and exhibit this moment of being caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. It’s very dramatic.
[00:29:08] I know it’s just an exhibition. It’s not the real thing, but you get the point. And if you have a chance to go to Chicago, go to in Wheaton, Illinois. It’s a suburb of Chicago, to the Wheaton College grad school, and go to that museum, and you’ll find out. Walking up those stairs, the surprise you feel, the sense of that areness of coming out amongst the clouds that they’ve got sort of set up. Exactly what’s going to be happening to us
[00:29:41] at that moment of rapture. Now what I haven’t told you yet is the actual word that we have rapture comes from the Latin translations of the Bible. And it’s just what’s word used in the Latin for those words that say, will be caught up together. And the word hapazo in the Greek means to be snatched away. And if suddenly there’s someone here whose parents didn’t want you to come to this Christian church and they came riding in on a horse through the door,
[00:30:12] is a bit of a silly story, but they came up and through a lasso around you. Let’s just say it’s Edward who’s father didn’t want him here and yanked him out like this behind the lasso and put on the horse and they ride away, you would use the word har-pazzo, That’s what the word means. In the English, in the Latin, it’s repairair and we get our word rapture just because it’s
[00:30:42] the translation in English of a Latin word from the Greek word that means to be caught up and taken off suddenly. People sometimes say, oh, there’s no rapture in the Bible, but they’re just ignorant of this verse and this plot spot where there is. I’m sat with theologians, who said, oh, some people talk about a secret rapture and they make a joke of it. And I remember that happening at college when I was teaching theology. And I replied to some Morning Sea conversation.
[00:31:13] We all have a good rapport with each other, these different lecturers. And I said, yes, it’s so secret, apparently, that there are some theologians who haven’t heard about it yet, namely him the one that was laughing at the idea, it’s right there in the Bible. What are you doing with the Bible? You say you believe, but this is one passage you don’t believe in the Bible. You know what I do about those things that people laugh at that are in the Bible they don’t want to believe, one thing I do is I go to Jesus and I discover whether or
[00:31:47] not he believed it. If Jesus believed it then I follow suit. And Jesus is the one who believes in the authority of scriptures, and they’re accurate. Not one jot nor tittle will pass away, but all shall be fulfilled. I believe the scriptures, because Jesus did, and I have come to a place of such strong trust in what Jesus did and says. That’s the answer for me. I I may not be able to explain it apologetically to other people except the fact that I am following what Jesus believes. We are reading a passage of the Word of God, and why have a Word of God if you don’t believe what it says? And the reason why I believe the Word of God is because of the things that came true
[00:32:42] that are said elsewhere. And why would I stop believing when I come to this passage? There will be a rapture, maybe we don’t all work out when it will happen or what of the same time but it’s there in the scriptures. We who are alive and left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so will we ever always be with the Lord. And from that moment of your being collected by Jesus, you will never be where He’s not We will ever be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words. And the reason why it’s so encouraging is when you know that Jesus thinks His family
[00:33:27] is His friends, His disciples. Remember the passage. Here’s your mother and brothers outside. And Jesus says, who are my mother and brothers? For those who do the will of the Father in heaven. And if you’re someone who is prepared to love Jesus, you become someone who is his friend, his family. That’s why the church is Jesus’ church, because we who love him are his. We belong to him, and he belongs to us.
[00:34:01] That’s why that passage in Revelation 3 is such a challenge where Jesus pictures himself very politely knocking at the door. Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any person hear my voice, and open the door, I will come on into that one fellowship with him and he with me.” With that person he will. And that’s why he loves the church, because they’re his friends.
[00:34:27] But what’s happening is that Jesus is going away to prepare a place in heaven for all of us. And when all of that’s complete, he’s going to come back and collect us to himself. And that original passage, I wonder whether you can get that first passage and mark up again. That first passage finishes where Jesus says that the Second Coming story is really just like a man who goes on a journey. And he comes back to collect to his house.
[00:35:04] and we’re to be aware that he will return. So in Mark, that first passage, do you have still, there it is, like a man going on a journey. When he leaves home, in the morning service, I explain the wording there, in the Greek, he’s got the word to go away, apo. And then it’s got the word domestic, basically into a little similar version of the word domestic. It leaves where he’s got his domicile, his home. This man, in the story, goes on the journey, is Jesus.
[00:35:43] And, He’s going to heaven. It’s like a man goes on a journey, puts servants in charge, that’s us. Each with his own work. Commands the door keeper, that’s probably the people who are the pastors or ministers or whatever, to stay awake. So, He goes on the time, they all better stay awake. because he’s going to come back. And when he comes back he’s coming back
[00:36:07] to collect them. And as we learn from the other passage he’s coming back to collect us to take us to our new home in heaven. So at the moment, Jesus considers the church his home. But he’s eventually going to come back and collect those who actually know him to take back and be with him in his home in heaven. Now the acid question that burning issue is whether or not you know Jesus personally and you belong to Him and He belongs to you because at that moment of His coming, if we’re here
[00:36:47] in the world, and we’ve died, we’re going to be raised to meet Him in the air, and if we’re alive and awake at the time, and we never know when Christ is going to come or predictions some people make we don’t know for sure. It could be before we get home from the service tonight or it could be another 20 years away. Who knows. It’s not beyond the possibility, it’s another 100 years ago. We just do not know. Jesus told us, you know, to be careful. You can see signs that perhaps it’s closed but you don’t know. The reason why you don’t know is why those who are in charge of his home, they’re the watch people and they’re not, they don’t own the place but they’re just like a doorman and the word used is you know the doorkeepers. They’ve got to stay awake
[00:37:37] and the reason why we have to stay awake is to let everybody know that if you really want when Jesus comes to collect you and take you to heaven to take you to his home, you’ve got to know him personally Now,it’s too late if he gets in the door of coming along. Remember the other one about the ten versions who didn’t get enough oil to keep the road lit up that the bridegroom was going to come down and he comes in there off getting fresh oil. And they go into where the wedding time will be and they slam the door shut And then those girls come running with their oil but there’s too late and they knock on the door. And they want to get in. But the voice from inside says,
[00:38:24] I never knew you. I didn’t see you on the road where you should have been. I didn’t get in. Don’t be always saying to yourself, you want to be ready. Do it now, before he comes. Be sure you’re a person who belongs to Jesus now in the Church, and then you’ll be one that he will take with him to heaven when he transfers his home to being glory. There’s a lot in all of that.
[00:38:59] We should take it seriously and consider ourselves where we’re at with Jesus and be quick to do what we have to do if we’re not sure we actually know him. let’s have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for these passages we’re looking at, we thank you for the promise that when you come again, you’re going to snatch us away. You’re going to change our bodies, we’re going to be resurrected, we’re going to be like you.
[00:39:26] We’re going to be able to rejoice in glory with you. Until then we have opportunity to be with you in the church, in the fellowship. By knowing you personally and knowing that joy that we have in church when we celebrate your presence, when we’re aware of your presence. Lord, I thank you for the church. I thank you for my parents who brought me up to know you. And all across the years, the joy of being someone who’s got that assurance of salvation in the church. But Father I pray if there be someone that needs that to happen for them tonight, that
[00:40:11] you’ll speak to them and help them and maybe round at the supper they’ll ask someone sitting nearby to help them get straight what you need to be in due to belong to Jesus and to be ready for when He comes again. We ask this in His Name. For His sake. Amen.