2020 THE YEAR OF ACCESS_Watch Night Sermon

2020 THE YEAR OF ACCESS

   Watch Night Sermon

Ester 4:10-17; 5:1

10Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: 11"All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days." 12So they told Mordecai Esther's words. 13And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: "Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace any more than all the other Jews. 14For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? 15Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16"Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish! 17So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.

1Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, across from the king's house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. 2So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter. 3And the king said to her, "What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you - up to half the kingdom! 

I. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO ACCESS TO

1. The Throne

Hebrews 4:16

16Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time need.

Ephesians 3:12

12in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

Rev 4:1-11

1After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." 2Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8There four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come! 9Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11"You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power, For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."

2. Kingdom Promises

Numbers 13:30

30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.

3. Him (Relationship)

John 13: 21-26

21When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me." 22Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. 23Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. 25Then, leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" 26Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

4. FAVOR

Favor with God and Man

• Favor makes life easier with fewer hindrances
• Favor will make you stand out within a crowd
• "One day of Favor is worth more than a lifetime fo labor"
• Favor is to be chosen rather than money

Proverbs 22:1

1A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.

II. WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS SEASON AND LAST SEASON

1. The Past Seasons Access was More Restricted

1Corinthians 16:9

9For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

2. This Season the Hindrances are Bound and God is gonna Help You

III. TOOLS NEEDED FOR MAXIMUM ACCESS

1. Proper Sight

Psalm 121: 1

1I will lift up my eyes to the hills - From whence comes my help?

2. Confidence

Ephesians 3:12

12....in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

Hebrews 4:16

16Let us, therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

3. Focus

Don't stumble over little stuff.

4. Flexibility

Hebrews 12:1

1Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

5. Bravado

BEHOLD THE MAN_HIS ATTRIBUTES OF MERCY

BEHOLD THE MAN

His Attribute of Mercy

I. Mercy Defined - compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.

Exodus 33:16-23
16"For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us?  So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth." 17So the Lord said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name."  18And he said, "Please, show Your glory." 19 The He said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you.  I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." 20But He said, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live." 21And the Lord said, "Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by.  23Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen."

Exodus 34:5-7
5Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.  6And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation.

II. God Proclaims His Own Name and Reveals His Character

Jeremiah 31:3
3The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yes, I have love you with an everlasting love: therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn you

God gave us what we did not deserve from creation and made provision for us by way of the mercy seat

Psalm 86:15
15But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth

Psalm 86:14
14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face.

Names were very important it determined who you were

III. Moses Wanted Know Who God was, His Glory

What makes him great, His reputation, glory, honor, glorious, abundance

Exodus 34:  6-7
7...The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin...

IV. Jacob had to Change His Name to Become Like God

Israel the prince of God

V.  God Renders Justice with Mercy

VI. We are Saved because of His Mercy

Ephesians 2:4-5
5But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace yo have been saved)...

2 Corinthians 3:18
18But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

VII. The King who Rules in Mercy

One of the characters of Jesus that we need to embrace as we behold Him, is that of a merciful King.

Proverbs 3:3-4
3Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around you neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of Goad and man.

Zechariah 7:9-10
9Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. 10Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother'

VII. Components of Mercy

It's A Seed

Matthew 5:7
7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy

James 2:13
13For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.  Mercy triumphs over judgment.
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It's Very Important (on the top of God's list)

Matthew 23:23
23Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected they weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.  These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

Ephesians 4:31-32
31Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice.  32And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even s God in Christ forgave you.

It's A Garment (wear it daily)

Colossians 3:12-14
12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuferring; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

An Ingredient in Wisdom

James 3:17
17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

A Key to Blessings

1 Peter 3:8-9
8Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

Five Ways to Walk in Mercy

1. See things with the eyes of God

The Apostle Paul prayed Ephesians 1:17 -18, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.

2. Do unto other what you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12)
3. Be compassionate in your dealings with people
4. Learn to act justly with people

Micah 6:8
8O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God

5. Mercy let's go. It does not give people what they deserve

John Presented Jesus as the Lam of God

John 1:26-27
26John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do know. 27It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.

BEHOLD THE MAN - The Lamb and the Lion

BEHOLD THE MAN 

The Lamb and the Lion

John 1:29

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Revelation 5:1-9

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. ² Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” ³And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.⁴ So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. ⁵ But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” ⁶And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.⁸ Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

• No one was able or found worthy to open the scroll (v. 3-4)
• The Lion has prevailed to open the scroll and its seals (v.5)
• The slain Lamb took the scroll (v. 6-7)
• The Lamb is proclaimed to be worthy to open the scroll and seals (v. 9)
• JESUS is the Lion and Lamb!

Characteristics of the Lamb

1. The lamb does not defend itself.

Isaiah 53:7

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.

John 18:4-11

⁴ Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” ⁵ They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.”And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. ⁶ Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. ⁷Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁸ Jesus is the answer, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” ⁹ that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.” ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. ¹¹So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

2. The lamb knows and follows (only) the voice of its shepherd.

John 5:19

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

John 14:31

But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

3. The lamb is meek.

Isaiah 42:1-3

“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. ² He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. ³A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.”

Characteristics of the Lion

1. The lion is proud.

Matthew 24:27; 29-30

²⁷For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ²⁹“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen

2. The lion roars.

Hosea 5:14

For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.

Revelation 6:12-16

¹² I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. ¹³ And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. ¹⁴ Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. ¹⁵And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, ¹⁶ and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”        

3. The lion is mighty among beasts and does not turn away from any. (Proverbs 30:30)

Isaiah 63:1-4

Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength?— “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” ² Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? ³“I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, and trampled them in My fury; their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My robes. ⁴ For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come.

Revelation 19:11-15

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. ¹²His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he    himself. ¹³He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter. “He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.”

BEHOLD THE MAN - The Majesty of Jesus as the Son of Man

BEHOLD THE MAN

The Majesty of Jesus as the Son of Man

I. JESUS, OUR MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION

A.    No aspect of God’s grace more powerfully transforms our emotions or satisfies our heart than when the Spirit reveals Jesus to us. Paul gave up everything as he saw the magnificence, or excellence, of Jesus! (Phil. 3:8). If we can see what Paul saw about Jesus, then we can live like he lived.

Phillipians 3:8

I count all things loss for the excellence [magnificence] of the knowledge of Christ Jesus...

B.     The Spirit is our escort into the deep things of God’s heart. He knows more about Jesus than we can imagine. He will reveal as much of Jesus as we are hungry for. He gives to us based on our hunger. I pray, “Spirit, let me see what You see and feel what You feel about Jesus—teach me about Him.”

John 16:13-14  

¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

C.     The Spirit is raising up those who will proclaim the riches of Jesus. The most neglected subject in the kingdom of God is God Himself.

 Ephesians 3:8

⁸To me...grace was given that I should preach...the unsearchable riches of Christ...

II. JESUS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION

The book of Revelation is called the revelation of Jesus because it reveals the majesty of His heart and leadership. Second, it reveals events that will occur in His end-time plan to purify the Church, bring in the harvest, replace all the governments on earth, and transition it to the age to come. God’s first desire is to reveal the Man behind the plan. Many only see the end-time plan and miss the Man.

Revelation 1:1

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

III. JESUS AS THE SON OF MAN

One of the most significant prophecies about Jesus is found in Daniel 7. It describes Jesus as the Son of Man who will rule all nations with His people (Dan. 7:14). Jesus used this title more than any other when speaking of Himself (85 references). Each time Jesus was referring to His identity as set forth in Daniel 7 since Daniel is the only one to prophesy about Jesus as the “Son of Man.”

Daniel 7:9-14, 27

⁹The Ancient of Days [the Father]... His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool… ¹³One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days [Father]…¹⁴To Him was given dominion...and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations...should serve Him [Jesus]. His dominion is an everlasting dominion… ²⁷Then the kingdom...shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.

HOW TO APPLY THE DESCRIPTIONS OF JESUS: A-R-K

A-agreement; R-ask for revelation; K-keep the prophecy.

Agreement:

We make declarations of agreement to Jesus about who He is and what He does.

For example, pray:

1.     “You are...” declarations: You are a faithful witness, the firstborn, the ruler of kings (v. 5)

2.     “You have...” declarations: You have a sword; You have the keys of the kingdom, etc.

3.     “Your...” declarations: Your face is like the sun; Your eyes are like fire, etc.

Revelation:

We pray for increased revelation of the truth implied in each description (Ephesians 1:17). For example, “

·        Reveal Yourself to me as One with eyes like fire

·        As One with feet like brass

·        Show me Your glory as One who shines like the sun. Teach me more about these

Keep the prophecy:

·        Meaning, they engage with faith and obedience according to it. By keeping the prophecy, their hearts are engaged by faith. They believe what it says, the storyline.

·        Jesus promised to bless all who “keep” the prophecy set forth in the book of Revelation (Rev. 1:3; 22:7, 9) by responding in faith and obedience in our actions and attitudes.

Revelation 22:7

⁷Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.

BEHOLD THE MAN - 18 REASONS TO LOVE HIM

                                                                                                                                                                                                       

BEHOLD THE MAN                                                                              18 Reasons to Love Him

                                                                                                                

John 19:5

⁵Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”

Revelation 1:1-20

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, ²who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. ³Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.  ⁴John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, ⁵and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ⁶ and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. ⁷ Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. ⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” ⁹ I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, ¹¹ saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” ¹² Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. ¹⁴ His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; ¹⁵ His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; ¹⁶ He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. ¹⁷ And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸ I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. ¹⁹ Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. ²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

1.     He is the Faithful Witness

Faithful eye witness. He testifies of what He knows

2.     Firstborn from the Dead.

•                  The widow of Zarephath’s son (1 Kings 17:17–24

•                  The Shunammite woman’s son (2 Kings 4:18–37).

•                  The man raised out of Elisha’s grave (2 Kings 13:20–21)

•                  The widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:11–17)

•                  Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:52–56)

•                  Lazarus of Bethany (John 11)

•                  Various saints in Jerusalem (Matthew 27:50–53)

•                  Tabitha (Acts 9:36–43).

•                  Eutychus (Acts 20:7–12)

First to rise where death has no power over Him

Romans 6:9

⁹ knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.

3.     Ruler over the Kings of the Earth

         Revelation 12:3-5

³And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. ⁴ His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. ⁵ She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.

          Psalm 2:8-9

⁸Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. ⁹You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

4.     He loves us

          John 15:9

⁹“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love

Ever present love….

5.     He Washed (loosed) us from our sins in His own Blood

         1 John 1:7

⁷But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

6.     He is Coming Back

          Revelation 1:7

⁷Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen

          Matthew 24:30

³⁰Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Every eye shall see Him…

7.     He is the Alpha and the Omega

       The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The expression is a merism—a figure of speech that distinguishes opposites in order to accentuate the whole. God is the beginning and the end and everything in between

8.     The Son of Man

          Revelation 1:12-15

¹²Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. ¹⁴His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; ¹⁵His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters.

Jesus is still human… He did not loose His humanity when He rose from the dead.

9.     Our High Priest

          Revelation 1:13

Clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

         Hebrews 7:25

He ever lives to make intercession for us....

10.            Full of Wisdom

           Revelation 1:14

           His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow

           Purity

11.            Fiery Lover

          Revelation 1:14

 His eyes like a flame of fire;

12.            Righteous judgment

           Revelation 1:15

           His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace

13.            Speaks for the People

           Revelation 1:16

           His voice as the sound of many waters;

14.            Holds us in His Hand

           Revelation- 1:16

           He had in His right hand seven stars

15.            His Word

           Revelation 1:16

           Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword

16.            His Countenance

           Revelation 1:16

           And His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

17.            He is Overwhelming

           Revelation 1:17

           And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.

18.            He is Victorious

           Revelation 1:18

            I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.                 And I have the keys of Hades and o