ÿþ <html> <head> <title>Welcome to First United Methodist Church, El Dorado, AR,  Prayerful Saints and Unrepentant Sinners </title><!--- Jan 3, 2010 --> <meta name="description" content="First United Methodist church, El Dorado, AR, FUMC, F.U.M.C. First Church, First Methodist, Methodist John Wesley, Methodist, United Methodist Youth, United Methodist women" /> <meta name="keywords" content="First United Methodist church, El Dorado, AR, FUMC, F.U.M.C. 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Hill Street, El Dorado, AR 71730&nbsp; </font></DIV> </TD> </TR> </TABLE></TD> <TR> <td width="20%" valign="bottom"> <tr valign="top"> <td> <div align="center"> <table width="800" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#000000" align="center"> <!----- center white area table code----------------> <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td width="15%" height="85" bgcolor="#f5eacc"> <div align="center"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="right"> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top"> <td height="2"> <div align="center"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="/graphix/faded.jpg"> <tr> <td> <div align="center"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> </tr> <!--------------------- left nav bar ------------> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr><td><br><br></td></tr> <tr align="left"><td> <font color="#000000" face="CAC futura casual" size="3"><b><a href="/staff.html">Ministry Staff</a><br><br> <a href="/Events_Announcements.html">Coming Events<BR> Announcements</a><br><br> <a href="/AboutUs.html">About Us</a><br><br> <a href="/Activities.html">Activities</a><br><br> <a href="/SS.html">Sunday School</a><br><br> <a href="/sermons.html">Sermons</a><br><br> <a href="/Music.html">Music Ministry</a><br><br> <a href="/Kindergarten.html">Kindergarten</a><BR><br> <a href="/Ithappened.html">It Happened</a><br><br> <a href="/Memorials.html">In Memoriam</a><br><br> <a href="/links.html">Links</a><br><br> <a href="/contact.html">Contact Us</a><br><br> <a href="/index.html">Home</a></b></font><BR> <tr><td align=center><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <img src="/graphix/taupeflame.jpg"></td></tr> </table></td> </tr> </table> </table> <br> </div> </td> <td width="66%" height="65"> <div align="center"> <!----------------------- MAIN CONTENT ----------------------> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td valign="top" colspan="2"> <td width="600"> <div align="left"> <br><br><br> <p align="left"> <img hspace="5" src="/graphix/united-methodist-church-h60.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0"><br> <font face="verdana" color="#003300" size="4"><b>  Thank You for Tomorrow! </b></font><br><br> <p align=center><font face="verdana" size="3"><b> Revelation 8:1 - 9:21</b><BR> <p align="center"><font face="verdana" size="2">  Our Certain Future sermon series #9 </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Forest or trees? Which is most important? If you are on a hike, individual trees can be very important. On a hot day, the tree that provides a little shade may quickly become the most important tree of all. The majestic oak, the tall pine, the dainty redbud, each adds character and flavor to the hike. You might soak in the aroma while standing in a small grove of cedar trees or listen to the creak of one tree rubbing in the wind against another. The individual trees are important; for some that is enough. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> However, if all you look at are the trees, it is easy to get disoriented and lost; the path forward may not seem clear. You need a larger view to see where you have been and to give you a glimpse of where you are going. Stand high on a ridge line or on the edge of a rocky outcrop and for the first time you can appreciate the forest, not just the trees. You begin to understand the topography, how one ridge will lead to another, how one mountain connects to the other. What may look chaotic at the individual tree level begins to look calm and ordered and planned when you see the big picture. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Keep that in mind today as we continue our study of Revelation. In chapters 8-9 we are coming to a place where it is easy to become so wrapped up in the details that we lose sight of the big picture. We can no longer see the forest because we have become overwhelmed by the trees. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> John, through a vision, had been invited by Jesus to the very throne room of heaven, where he began to see a steady stream of images. If you remember, in chapter six he described what he saw as Jesus began to unbind the scroll he was holding in his right hand. Six seals were broken, and with each the consequences of man s sin became more apparent. Now, in chapter eight, the seventh and last seal was about to be broken. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> <i> When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. </i> (Rev 8:1-2) What followed next was a series of trumpet blasts from six of the seven angels, and with each blast John saw images of increasing devastation on earth. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> <i> The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water - the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night. </i> (Rev 8:7-12) I will say up front that I do not believe these pictures were meant to be taken literally. This is a vision; the images are symbolic. The truth is in the message, and the message says that as God s judgement draws near, it will be difficult for all creation. These scenes paint a horrible picture in which nothing is left untouched; the earth, the sky, the seas, plants, animals, even people are affected. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> As horrible as that was, there was worse - much worse - to come. In chapter nine, when the fifth and sixth angels sound their trumpets, what can only be interpreted as demonic forces are unleashed. Again, don t take it too literally. Creatures like locusts but much more fearsome come forth from the great Abyss, ruled by Satan himself. They are given power for five months to so severely torment people on earth that many will long for death. Next, a terrible army is unleashed, 200 million strong, its soldiers mounted on horses with the power to kill with both their mouths and tails. A third of mankind is killed, and yet not even this is the end. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> You can read the details for yourself and I ll discuss them more thoroughly tonight. Suffice it for now to say that Christians have been trying to make sense of these visions for centuries, and will surely continue to do so until the end. This is an example of how too much attention to the detail only serves to hide the larger picture. We lose the forest because of the trees. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Remember that this entire book was originally a revelation given to John to share with Christians who were experiencing great persecution by the Roman government. Don t forget that. Life was hard for them. Their future was uncertain. They were beginning to wonder if God was still with them, if their prayers were being heard, and if they would survive. The main purpose of Revelation was to address the fears and to answer their questions of those first Christians, not to fully explain our future. To understand Revelation, we ve got to focus on what they would have focused on. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> In chapter one (vs.12-13) John saw Jesus standing among seven golden lampstands, representing the churches of God, and he understood that Jesus is still in their midst. In chapter five John saw that the twenty-four elders in the throne room was holding golden bowls full of incense, which were identified as the prayers of the saints (vs.8). The early church took comfort, and so can we, that their prayers were being heard by God. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> In chapter six (vs.9-10) John saw that not just the prayers, but the very souls of the martyrs had been brought before the altar of God, crying out for justice. <i> How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood? </i> All who read this would have rejoiced that they had not been forgotten by God! In chapter seven (vs.9-10) John saw that a seal of ownership had been placed on all of God s people on earth, and he was given a glimpse of that day when we will all be able to stand before God s throne in victory, a great multitude. The church on earth knew that they would be victorious! </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Throughout this book Jesus was answering the church s fearful questions with comforting answers. Now in chapter eight they were given yet another important truth. In the midst of rising turmoil, they would be protected and their faith would be rewarded. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> <i> Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. (Rev.8:3-6) </i></font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> The prayers of the saints were being heard. Their pleas for justice were being brought before God by the angels themselves! Terrible things would soon occur, but the saints would be protected from at least the worst of them. The rest of humanity would not be so fortunate. God s judgment was coming, and people would be offered one last chance to repent and turn back to God. And yet, so deeply ingrained was their sin that not even the terrible events surrounding the trumpet blasts would be enough to lead them to repentance. <i> The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood - idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Rev 9:20-21)</i> </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Friends, the message is clear. Unrepentant sinners who turn their backs on God and refuse to acknowledge His authority will one day be the objects of God s wrath. However, those who are faithful and who continue to trust God will be taken care of, even in the midst of suffering. Even today, if we remain faithful we can have a confidence that the world cannot share, for we know that our prayers are still being heard, that Christ is still with us, that the Spirit is still protecting us, and that we will someday be with God. </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> Saints of the Living God, we have nothing to fear! </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> <i>Be not afraid, for I have redeemed you; be not afraid: I have called you by name.<BR> When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;<BR> When you pass through the floods, they will not sweep o er you;<BR> When you walk through the fire, you will not be consumed; <BR> You are mine. You are precious in my sight. </i> </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"><i> My love for you in everlasting; my love for you shall have no end.<BR> When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; <BR> When you pass through the floods, they will not sweep o er you; <BR> When you walk through the fire, you will not be consumed;<BR> You are mine. You are precious in my sight. </i> </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> </font></p> <p align="left"><font face="verdana" size="2"> </font></p> <br><br> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> </table> <TABLE width=800 border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <TR bgcolor="#d8d2d8"> <TD width=800 valign="baseline" bgcolor="#d8d2d8" align=right> <!--- beige F2F2E6 ----> <font face="verdana" color="#000000" size="1"> This site designed and maintained by <a href="http://www.hipdogwebdesign.com">HipDog Web Design&reg;</a><br> Copyright 2005. 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