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Living Hope SDA Church

Survivors of the Great Controversy

Christian Martin

01 Survivors of the Great Controversy

So as we open the Word of God today, I invite you to bow your heads with me as we pause to ask him to speak to us today.

Our Father in heaven, Lord thank you that you got us through this week.

Thank you, Lord, for waking us up each and every morning.

Thank you for the health that we have at this time.

Enough, Lord, to bring us here to meet with you.

And whether we're here in person, Lord, or whether we're watching online, near and far, we pray that the same Holy Spirit who is able to be in all places at the same time, would minister to our hearts, speak to our hearts, convict us, give us an understanding, Lord, of something that we may need to understand.

So we thank you, Lord, for answering this prayer in Jesus' name, Amen.

Today I begin a two-part sermon series entitled, The Survivors of the Great Controversy.

There are times when an unexpected and even surprising win takes place between 2 rivals.

In fact, just a week ago, Argentina won against Brazil in the Copa America.

So I tried to advance my slides here and a week ago, yeah Argentina, they they went against Brazil and since I'm from Brazil myself, I mean, did I just say that?

Since I'm from Argentina myself, it's okay to say amen.

And during this time, 2 long droughts ended on that day.

Argentina won its first major title since 1993.

And Lionel Messi finally lifted his First major trophy for the national team.

Since beginning to play for them, the win was a long awaited victory for Argentina's captain and star player.

In a career with the national team, which includes until now nothing but losses in 4 World Cups and 5 Copa Américas.

Another showdown that I recall was the Women's World Cup Final back in 2011, about a decade ago.

I still remember it as if it was yesterday.

Japan had lost to the US team 25 consecutive times.

So you can imagine Japan's unbelievable victory in the championship final against the US was what millions around the world did not expect.

Another showdown that I recall is 1 found in the Scriptures.

It's not a showdown of 2 teams in any kind of sport.

You see, there's not a shortage of championship upsets, even controversial ones in the world of sports.

But what I would like to draw our attention to is another type of showdown that is in the unseen realm, otherwise known as the great controversy.

And in the final face-off between Christ and Satan, the outcome will not be unexpected.

So what is the all-time record between the 2?

Let me remind you, lest we forget how He has led us in past history.

If you have your Bibles, if now there's a Bible in your pew pocket, come with me to Revelation.

There in Revelation 12, in that single chapter, we find a record of multiple battles between Christ and Satan.

There in Revelation chapter 12, we find a record of the historical decisive battles between Christ and Satan.

And as we take a Look, we're going to see that there is a pattern, there is a trend that is in our favor.

In 1 instance, Satan is symbolized as a dragon.

And he fights in heaven against Michael and his angels, whose name, Michael, means 1 who is like God.

And then in Revelation 12, verse 4, Satan is pictured as a fiery red dragon who brings down a third of the angels.

Remember, apocalyptic writings are full of symbols, and stars are often a symbol of angels.

And a third of the angels are cast down to the earth with Him.

Whenever the fallen spiritual forces of darkness fall heavy on you, just remember, they're outnumbered.

For every dark fallen angel, yes, there's many of them, but for every dark fallen angel, there are 2 glorious angels of light that excel in strength.

And this is a crucial factor that we need to remember in the last days before the return of Christ and this great controversy.

Do not forget, With Christ, we're with the majority.

And Satan would want you to overlook that, to forget it, when he comes with you with his lies.

And as we come to verses 7 to 9, there in Revelation 12, we're still in Revelation 12, verses 7 to 9, the immediate context, you've got to understand, there's various contexts.

There's the general context, the context of the book of Revelation.

Well, the context of this passage, the immediate context, is victory at the cross of Calvary.

It's referring to the serpent of old, not the fallen angel Lucifer.

This is the serpent of old has been cast down.

The serpent of old has been overcome by the blood, the blood of the Lamb.

Oh yeah, yeah, I mean, that's unmistakably there.

There's flashbacks to that original war in heaven between Michael, 1 who is like God, and the dragon.

You see, make no mistake about it, the cross, the Roman cross, in the spring of AD 31, settled the issues raised by this war that took place before the foundation of the world.

All of these things were settled at the cross.

Issues that had been brought up originally up in heaven with Lucifer.

So that's that way the 2 events are so closely related, you see.

Revelation 12, verses 7 to 9 says, and war broke out in heaven.

02 Survivors of the Great Controversy

Today, we've come into His presence where He welcomes us.

So as we have worshipped Him in song, we've worshipped Him in giving, we've worshipped Him by prayer, And now we're going to worship Him by offering Him an open heart.

To allow the Holy Spirit to minister to our hearts today.

So as we do that, I invite you to bow your heads with me once more as we pray.

Father in Heaven, You are a great God, but how humbled we are that You are gentle and approachable.

And so we ask, Lord, that you would Tune our ears with the presence that touch the Holy Spirit so we can truly hear a message that comes from you today.

Speak, Lord, for thy servants who listen, and we thank you in Jesus' name, amen.

I wanna tell you a little bit about my family.

As the Apostle Paul would call it in his epistle to the Galatians, I want to tell you about my household of faith.

You see I have several relatives, brothers and sisters related by a shared faith.

As Peter would say, a like precious faith.

You see I'm of the same family with more than 2.5 million in South America.

Over 3.7 million are spread throughout Central America.

Another half million live in the islands of the South Pacific, and over 3 million live in Asia.

You know, there's a chorus often sung at social gatherings, and it's been sung in just about every type of Christian gathering since 1970.

And that's the song written by William Gaither, which says, I'm so glad I'm a part of who?

I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by his blood, joined heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod.

I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God.

Do you sense that privilege to know that you are not alone in a journey.

I believe there's no greater way to journey in these last days here on earth than doing it together with the household of faith.

Brothers and sisters who together with me have a prayer, and that is to endure until the end, together, as survivors of the great controversy.

I genuinely love reading the messages of the final book in the New Testament called Revelation.

I truly, my heart is thrilled when I open its pages and read these messages that just take me into the heart of God.

It's a revelation of Jesus Christ who is called the Lamb 28 times in the book of Revelation.

That tells me that unquestionably, he is the focus of Revelation.

That word picture is often used in nurseries.

The word picture is often used when you're trying to get your six-month-old baby to just calm down and be able to fall asleep.

We can't think of a more gentle picture than a lamb.

But what is very intriguing is that we see a lamb in the midst of hail and fireballs, burning mountains, falling stars, pitch-black darkness, and terrifying plagues.

And all these images tend to arrest our attention.

That's why the book of Revelation is such an exciting book that just appeals to many people.

It's a book with these images that make Hollywood seem a little lame.

I mean these are amazing images found in the book of Revelation.

They arrest our attention when reading through the apocalyptic prophecies.

And oftentimes though, and I've seen this time and time again, a new believer or someone who's not very familiar with the Scriptures, they begin reading the book of Revelation and what happens?

They tell me, pastor, I'm a little anxious, maybe a little afraid.

These images, they incite fear and anxiety, causing us to lose sight of Him whom the Lamb represents.

It was John the Baptist who pointed to Jesus.

He pointed to Jesus and he identified him, first 1 to do so, he identified him as the Lamb of God.

Central figure in the book of Revelation.

John the Baptist points to Jesus and identifies him as the 1 who takes away the sin of the world.

And now, and by now I mean like right now in our lifetime, millenniums later, every nation, tribe, tongue, and people must still be pointed to Jesus whose Revelation's beginning and end.

Today, as it were in ancient times, men and women still need to be pointed to Jesus.

We must be pointed to Jesus whose revelations are powerful creator.

We must be pointed to Jesus who is Revelation's triumphant conqueror.

Jesus the Lamb is the central focus of Revelation.

That when Jesus, the Lamb, Jesus, the Lamb, is revealed, Revelation's apocalyptic content will give hope, and not the spirit of fear.

When Jesus is revealed, the Lamb will give hope to the troubled heart.

But contrary to popular opinion, when we open the book of Revelation, the images that pop out are images that terrify people.

The main character of the book of Revelation, again, unlike popular opinion, is not a violent, raging, threatening monster.

It's not some great giant whore sitting on an enormous bright red beast.

It's not freaky locusts and creatures with multiple heads and a revelation of the infamous mark of the beast.

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Series

Survivors of the Great Controversy

01 Survivors of the Great Controversy

Transcript

Parent Series

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