Jesus, An Unsurpassed Leader

Mark Finley: Jesus Christ is unparalleled. He has revealed the future. This world is in his hands. Jesus Christ has redeemed us. There is peace and forgiveness and strength in him.
Guest (Male): This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message Jesus an unsurpassed leader. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com. And now Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: In the days of Constantine, the Roman Empire was falling apart. Pagan influences were coming down from the north, the barbarian tribes, like the Alamanni, the Anglo-Saxons, the Suevi, the Heruli were taking over Europe. Constantine recognized that he had to do something if he was going to save the empire. The fragmentation in the empire was great. The challenges that were faced to stability in governments were enormous. And Constantine, a political leader, united at the time with the Pope of Rome in an attempt to Christianize Europe. Now when that happened, two things occurred. First, there was a compromise of biblical values. That's when of course image worship came into the church in the 4th century. That's when Sunday worship gained prominence and many pagan practices came into the church. But there was a second thing that happened in that amalgamation of the Roman Empire. And that is the minorities were persecuted. And that's why we had what was known as the dark or middle ages, church and state united. If history tells us anything, it tells us this. Every time church and state unites, these two things occur. There is a compromise of biblical values and there is a persecution of the minorities. So those that study history are quite nervous when you look at terms the revival of the Roman Empire. And there are two prophecies in Revelation that should give us pause to think. Revelation chapter 13 talks about a time when the religious political powers will unite. And for all Christians everywhere, and specifically Seventh-day Adventists, this prophecy should give us pause. It talks about a rise of church and state power in Revelation chapter 13. And looking there at verse 3, it says in the last part, and all the world wondered after the beast. The Bible talks about the union of church and state. And it talks about the world wondering. It talks about the world being amazed at a power that would rise and that this power would would come on the scene of this world's history as a moral force that would change the world. The Bible then describes the compromise and persecution that would take place. There is another prophecy that should give us pause in Revelation the 17th chapter. In Revelation chapter 17 verse 13 and 14 should give Bible students something seriously to think about when we see the events of the last two weeks. Revelation chapter 17 and we're looking there at Revelation chapter 17 and we're looking at verse 12 and 13. Revelation chapter 17 verse 12 and 13. And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings that have received no kingdom yet. But they receive authority or power for one hour as kings with the beast. These have one mind and they give their power and authority to the beast. So here are two predictions in Revelation where the political powers of the world and the religious powers of the world under the auspices of world unity, under the auspices of solving the problems of the world, under the auspices of solving the injustice, the war, the climate change, under the auspices of bringing families together that the world leaders will look for somebody that's beyond politics, somebody that stands above nationalism, some moral leader that they can look for. I wonder, are these prophecies being fulfilled before our very eyes? Now Revelation predicts not one leader will emerge but two. And it's the second leader that I want to spend most of the time focusing on in our message. Revelation predicts and it talks about what is the dragon and the lamb. It talks about the rise of the Antichrist power, but it also talks about the supremacy of a leader that is unsurpassed Jesus Christ. And I want to focus this morning on why Jesus is the only leader that can solve the problems of this world. The Bible's last book presents the only leader that can deliver us from the world's dilemma. He is the only leader who is wise and all powerful. He is the unsurpassed Jesus Christ. In Revelation the dragon battles the lamb and wonder of all wonder, marvel of all marvels, the lamb wins and the dragon loses. Now in the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is described as the lamb 28 times. Now that itself is significant. In Revelation numbers means something. Three is the number of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And then you have the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, the false Trinity. In Revelation you have the number seven which indicates perfection. You have number 10 which is a church number like ten virgins. Why not six virgins? Why not 12? Because 10 was the smallest number of Jewish men that could form a synagogue. So every time you read about 10, it's church. It has to do with church. So the ten virgins are in the church see. So numbers are significant in Revelation. In Revelation 666 seven is perfection, six is imperfection. A 666 is the Trinity of imperfection that stands against God, you see. 12 is completeness. Now take 28. What is it? Four times seven. Seven is perfection, four is universality. Jesus the lamb of God mentioned 28 times. He is our universal perfect savior. You can add nothing to his salvation. You can take nothing away from his salvation. Jesus the perfect salvation. Four is a number of universality. The points of the compass, the four winds, north, south, east, or west. Seven is the symbol of perfection. Uh the seven seals, seven trumpets, seven candlesticks. Jesus the lamb of God is the universal savior of mankind through his perfect life and perfect sacrifice and perfect ministry above and perfect plan for the world. Nothing can be taken from it, nothing can be added to it. Now there are four facets of Jesus in the book of Revelation that I want to study with you. Four things that qualify him as the only true leader of this world. Four things that distinguish him from any other world leader. We are going to take our Bibles and go to Revelation chapter one. We're going to study the unsurpassed supremacy of Christ that lifts him above all world leaders. First, there are four things about Jesus in Revelation that we're going to study. First, he is the revealing Christ. Second, he is the redeeming Christ. Thirdly, he is the returning Christ. Fourthly, he is the reigning Christ. The revealing Christ. We look at Revelation chapter one verse one. The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show his servants things which must shortly take place. And he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John. He is the revealing Christ. The Father gave to Jesus an eternal message. Jesus gave it to the angel. The angel then gave it to John and John wrote it down for you and me with a world seeking answers about the future. The book of Revelation provides those answers. In a world of uncertainty, in a world of confusion, no human being knows the future. But we can be thankful for a God that knows the future. He's got the whole world in his hands. We are secure in him. We are safe in him. This world is not going to be destroyed in some spinning globe of ash. It is not going to be destroyed at some world hunger with people clawing at another one another for living space. Here is the incredible good news. While world leaders are confused about the future, while the future looks murky and dark and foggy and uncertain, Jesus Christ has revealed the future. And that's incredibly good news. Now look at Matthew chapter 24 verse 32 to 33. Now it's interesting to me and quite fascinating that after Jesus gives his sermon about the signs of the times, Jesus makes a strong appeal to his people. Jesus does not make an appeal sharing with them the exact time of his coming. We can know his coming is near, but we can never know when his coming is here. We will not know his coming is here until we see him coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory. So notice what Jesus says. The emphasis of Jesus in Matthew 24 famines, earthquakes, fires, floods, war, rise of crime and violence comes to a climax itself in Matthew chapter 24 verse 32 and 33. Now when this parable from the fig now learn this parable from the fig tree, when its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is what? Near. So you also when you see all these things, know that some translations say it is near. But do you have a little number by the word it there in your Bible that refers you to a marginal reference? What's the marginal reference? He. So much better translation. So you also when you see all these things, how many of these things? All of them. Are we seeing all these things fulfilled around us today? Know that he is what? Near. Even at the door. So where is Jesus? Where is Jesus now? He is what? Near. How near is near? At the door. How close can I be to your house without coming in? At the what? At the door. Now since he is at the door, what is his appeal to you and me?
Guest (Male): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now back to Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: Matthew chapter 24 and we're looking there at verse 44. Matthew 24 verse 44. Therefore you also be what? Ready. For the Son of Man is coming at an hour you don't expect him. So when the world looks to the Middle East and sees confusion in Syria, when they're concerned about unrest and trouble in Iraq, when they see Russia beginning to move into a Middle East crisis, when you look at Boko Haram and terrorism and ISIS in Africa, when you see global warming and instability everywhere, when you see famine and earthquake, what do we know? The world looks for a leader, a political moral leader to bring society together. We look for a leader too, but our leader is Jesus Christ. He comes from the sky. He descends from heaven. Transgression has almost reached its limit. What's transgression? What's what's another name for transgression? Sin. So sin almost has reached its limit. Is there a limit beyond which God will allow sin to go? It says transgression has almost reached its what? Limit. So sin, wickedness is not going to go on indefinitely. Next sentence. Confusion fills the world. Are we living in a time of confusion? And a great terror is soon to come on human beings. The end is very near. God's people. Are we God's people? What should we be doing? Should be preparing for what is to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise. We look for divine solutions to the world's problem. The world looks for human solutions. That's the essential difference. And so we are preparing for something. What are we preparing for? Something that's going to break upon this world as an overwhelming surprise. Now how do you prepare? Prophets and Kings page 626. Wonderful book if you're not familiar with it. Commentary on the Old Testament. Christians should be preparing for what's soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise. We read that, didn't we? What is this preparation? In this preparation they should make by diligently studying the word of God and striving to conform their life to its precepts. What is the appeal of the hour from the revealing Christ? The revealing Christ reveals personally to you and me the trauma, challenges, and difficulties ahead. And the Christ who reveals the future gives us an urgent appeal to our knees to know him individually, to open our hearts to him, to let him speak to us in the quietness of our homes, to fill our minds with the word of God. If Neville blind cannot see the word like you and I see it, can commit his mind to memorizing the entire book of Hebrews, the entire book of First John. If he makes that commitment to God, is that not a challenge for those of us who have two eyes to see? He sees, but he sees in a little different way than you and I see. He sees in his mind. Is that not a challenge to us? The revealing Christ speaks to you, speaks to me to fill our minds with the word of God. Four things about Jesus in the book of Revelation that sets him above all other world leaders. First, he is the only one that can reveal the future. Others may guess, others may project, but what Jesus says about the future is true because he is the way, the truth, and the life. But there's a second thing in in those first five verses of the book of Revelation that I want you to notice. He is the revealing Christ, but he is also the redeeming Christ. There is only one that hung upon the cross. There is only one who had nails through his hands. There is only one that had crown of thorns upon his head. There's only one who hung between heaven and space and died for humanity. There's only one who can provide salvation. No religious leader can do that. The scripture says in Revelation chapter one. And you're looking there at Revelation one and verse five. It's talking about the book of Revelation. It says and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and ruler over the kings of the earth to whom loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and has made us kings and priests to his God and Father. To him be glory, dominion forever and ever. Now notice Jesus does two things there. He washes us from our sins in his own blood and he makes us. He washes us and makes us. We come to the cross. We come there with guilt. We come there with shame. We come there with failure. We come there looking over our lives and acknowledge that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Jeremiah 17 verse nine. We come and acknowledge with the prophet Isaiah chapter 54 verse six. All our righteousness is filthy rags. We come with guilt. We come with shame. We come with nothingness. And we come and say Jesus. Nothing in my hand I bring but to thy cross I cling. And we come clinging to the one that died. We come opening our hearts to receive his righteousness. The greatest need of our world is not peace in the world, it's peace in our hearts. The greatest need of this world is not an earthly leader who sits upon a throne, but it is Jesus Christ sitting on the throne of our hearts. The greatest need of our world is not a religious political leader, it's a savior. The savior Jesus Christ. He comes hanging on the cross offering to you and me pardon. Now notice what scripture says. Let's look at two passages in Romans. Something that we have in Christ and something that we do not have in Christ. Both of them are gifts. Romans chapter five verse one. Therefore having been justified by faith, when Christ died on the cross, you were justified. You were pardoned. But you cannot receive that justification that he wrought out on Calvary's hill unless you accept it by faith. Now notice. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. What gift comes to you and to me through the cross? What is that? The gift of what? It yes, but what does the text say? You're Adventist. You give me what you think I want to hear. I want what the text says. Therefore having been justified by faith, we have what? Charles, what do we have? We have peace. Do you have peace? Do you have peace? Do you know in your heart of hearts, your soul of souls, that through Jesus your sins are forgiven? That through Jesus the gift of eternal life is yours. Do you know the peace that comes, that passes all understanding? Now there's something we have and something we do not have. Romans eight verse one. Jesus is a leader unsurpassed in Revelation because he's the only one that can wash us with his blood. He is the only one that can give us peace. Romans eight. Something we have and something we don't have. Romans eight verse one. There is therefore now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. So we have peace and we do not have what? We have what? And we do not have what? We have what? Peace. And what don't we have? Condemnation. Thank God for peace. Now what when the devil comes to you and he says look what you did three months ago, look what you did six months ago, look at how unworthy you are, look at how how imperfect you are. What do you say to the devil? Say praise God I have what? Peace. Peace in who? Jesus. Praise God I do not have what? Condemnation. We come to Jesus just as we are. But do we remain as we are after we come to him? Revelation chapter one. He does two things. He washes us. And what else does he do for us? He washes us and he somebody said it. He makes us. Oh I want Jesus to wash me and I want Jesus to make me. What about you? Revelation chapter one. We're looking there again at verse five. And from Jesus. What is Jesus? The faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead. He is the ruler over the kings of the earth. There is only one. He is the unsurpassed Christ. To him who loved us. And what is he else he did? And washed us from our own sins in his blood. When he washes us, what do we have? Peace. What don't we have? Condemnation. And has made us what? Kings and priests to his God to him be glory. What Jesus declares you to be now, he wants to make you. Jesus declares you righteous through his blood and he wants to make you righteous through his power. Jesus declares you the Son of God and works in you by his power to make you the Son of God. Who is this Christ in Revelation? He is unsurpassed by any worldly leader. He is the revealing Christ. The one that knows the future. He is the redeeming Christ, the one that washes us and gives us peace and frees us from condemnation. He is the one that makes us what we long to be. He is the author and the what? Finisher of our faith. He is the one that began a good work in us and will do what? Complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. How many of you know today that Jesus at least has begun a good work in you? Can I see your hands? He's begun something and he hasn't. Will he finish it? You say I feel so unworthy. I feel so weak. I feel I'm not like Jesus. He has begun a good work in you and he will do what? Finish it. I praise his name that he will complete in me what he started. He is the revealing Christ. He is the redeeming Christ. And praise God he is the returning Christ. Revelation chapter one. We find all this in the book of Revelation chapter one. He is the revealing Christ. He is the redeeming Christ. And he is the returning Christ. Revelation chapter one. You're looking there at Revelation chapter one. You're looking at verse seven. This world is not in the hands of human beings. This world is in the hands of God. Revelation chapter one verse seven. Read it together with me, please. Behold he is coming with clouds and every eye shall see him. And they also which pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. Even so. Amen. He's coming with clouds. Revelation four verse eight. The theme of the book of Revelation is that he comes. This world is not in the hands of a religious political leader who usher in peace and unity among nations. The true unsurpassed leader is coming in the clouds of heaven. That's the theme of Revelation. It is not an earthly solution, it's a heavenly solution. It's not a human solution, it's a divine solution. Revelation four. We're looking there at verse eight. Notice the end of the verse. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty who was and is and is what? To come.
Guest (Male): You've been listening to Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at hopelives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now a final thought from Pastor Mark.
Mark Finley: He will reign forever and ever and ever and ever. In in our hearts we sing how great thou art. He is a great creator. He is a great revealer of the future. He is a great redeemer. He is a great He is the one who will return and he is the one who will reign forever. We can leave this sanctuary with hope today, filled with confidence today. Jesus Christ is unparalleled.