Revelation chapter number 16. Revelation chapter number 16. Our text for this evening's message is found in verse number 15. Number 15. Verse 15 reads, Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked. and they see his shame. Amen. And our title for this evening's message is this, Christ's Comfort in Future Glory. Christ's Comfort in Future Glory. I wonder here this evening how many of us worry about the future. I'm sure we all do in various different ways. And the way we worry about the future is often things that usually either never happen or possibly could never happen. We think about things and all the possibilities that could go wrong and then the things that do go wrong are unexpected. Things we can't, in many ways, prepare for. We so often fail to concern ourselves with what is certain about the future. We worry ourselves so often about things that won't happen. But as we've seen in Revelation chapter 16, we read earlier, we read that, and some people may read that passage and become extremely worried. The uppouring of the wrath of God, and indeed not only just of the pouring out of the wrath of Almighty God, indeed a celebration, a thanksgiving that God is doing what he is doing. Verse 5 of this chapter says, and I heard an angel of the water say, thou art righteous, O Lord, which art and wast and shall be, because thou hast judged thus. Not only that this is being done, But God is being praised for this. For what does a good judge do? Bring justice and judgment against those who break the law of God. But as believers, when we read this, should we worry? If our wrath has been taken away in Jesus Christ, should we worry? Yes, it's important that you see you're a sinner, because if you don't see your poverty and your dependence upon God, you are in trouble. But if you see your sin, your need of Christ, friends, I pray that we will see that this verse, verse number 15, that we're gonna look at here this evening, is a word of encouragement in the midst of great wrath that will be poured out upon the earth. Fully at the end of time, and indeed, God triumphs over his enemies, even in history. We must not think that God only pours out his wrath and exercises and shows his power at the end of time. He does in his fullness. God shows us, all us who are mere creatures, who is the true and the living God. But verse 15 brings great comfort. Now, this chapter is filled with torment for sinners, and it's meant to. It should. If you're not a believer in Jesus Christ here this evening, if you're unrepentant, if you're hostile to the gospel message, if you're hostile to the Word of God, this chapter should keep you up at night. It should. But it is only a torment for the unrepentant sinner. But at the same time, there is also comfort for the one who has turned away from wrath, who has turned away from this to comfort. See, we have to realize that while yes, There is this reality of judgment to come for the sinner who is unrepentant, and when we hear about it, we can get a little bit uncomfortable. But it should make us extra thankful to God for what he's delivered us from. This is what we deserve. When we read of these things, it's not like we're going, well, they got what they deserve. Friends, this is what we all deserve. But in Jesus Christ, we've been delivered. It should be a comfort when we read verses like verse 15, which says, Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keep his garments. It should be a relief. And what do I mean by that? Have you ever lived in a rough area? And perhaps there's a person down the road well known to the police. Everybody knows he's involved in something criminal. But what happens if that person is arrested? put in prison. And that house is no longer occupied by someone who's a criminal. Actually, the new people who come in are very nice. They're good neighbors. What a change it makes to the area. There's a sense of relief in those who love the law. There may be disappointment to those who love sin and lawlessness. What happens when you move somewhere and maybe a criminal moves to the area? There's sadness, isn't there, for the people who respect the law of the land? It changes the place. And here in this chapter, you see, at the end of time, a defeat for the enemies of God. The enemies of God will be placed under the feet of Jesus Christ, defeated and placed under the wrath of God. See, there's a flip side. One side is relief for the believer, the sweet comfort for the believer, but as well, there's torment for the unbeliever. For the wrath of God is for the person who does not believe. Friends, are you here this evening seeking comfort? I pray that yes, you will find comfort here this evening. But not comfort for comfort's sake. What do I mean by that? Often when we come to God for comfort, then that's our primary motivation. It doesn't come. But when we come to God for God, for who He is, then we find comfort. And when we read of verses like this, behold, I come as a thief, that should worry the unbeliever, but that should excite, that should make us look forward as believers in Jesus Christ. Our first point that we're gonna look at here this evening is this, number one, Christ's return, Christ's return. For the believer, this alone is a wonderful thing. Jesus Christ is coming again. He's coming back to rule and to reign fully, placing all his enemies under his feet. And this passage refers to, yes, the second coming of Christ, but it can also be understood more broadly. Matthew Poole said this, it may be understood either of Christ's coming to the last judgment or of his coming in his vindictive providence to be revenged on his enemies. Throughout history, for thousands of years, God has in various ways poured out his wrath upon his enemies, even in time. It's very hard for us to know and untangle all that is happening in history, in providence, unless God has shown us in his word. But he has done this. He does this. Christ comes with power in his word. Christ comes with power in a saved sinner. Christ comes with power because he's seated at the right hand of the majesty on high. See, I don't want you to think here this evening, friends, that Christ has almost set aside his power and he's going to reign fully in the future. He reigns today. He is powerful today. He will return visibly. He will return and righteousness will dwell upon the earth. He will return and the world, which is groaning under travail and pain and suffering, will be changed. And he comes as a thief. He comes when it is unexpected. See, friends, we should not limit God's power today. but we look forward to his return. He triumphs in the hearts of sinners. Friends, has he triumphed in your heart that you say, yes, oh Lord, thou art my king, thou art my redeemer. I look forward to thy return. But the enemies of God, to read a passage such as this is terrifying. The fullness of that victory will be seen and experienced by all believers at the return of Jesus Christ. Behold, it says, I come as a thief. Now what does that mean? This is language that's been used a number of times in the New Testament already. Matthew 24 from verse 42, Matthew 24 and verse 42. 42. From verse number 42, watch therefore for you know not the hour, what hour your Lord doth come. But, verse 43, but know this, that if the good man in the house had known in what Watch, the thief would come. He would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore, be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think. Not the Son of Man cometh. And also we look at one other passage as well from Revelation chapter three and verse three. Revelation chapter three and verse number three. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief. And thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. It's very clear time and time again, this does not mean that Jesus is coming to steal something, it all belongs to him. But this is an expression to show that you don't know. when the Lord will return. You don't know the exact moment. It all belongs to Him. If we think about that expression for a moment, if you came back in the evening, maybe after work or the service of worship, and you find a notice inside the letterbox, and it says, I will be arriving at 2 a.m. Signed the thief. It usually doesn't happen, does it? The thief doesn't want you to know it is unexpected. It would be very unusual. The delivery man will say that. They'll want you to know and be in. But to come as a thief in the night, as it says in other places, it's unexpected. A time when no one expects. Now, as believers in Jesus Christ, we expect him to come. We watch, we look for his coming. But the unbeliever doesn't expect him to come at all. He lives in such a way that acts as if Christ will never return, that this world is all that there is. Yes, he may go to church from time to time, and that's more of a just in case. All this thing is true. But the unbeliever lives in such a way that when Christ returns, it will be a shock. Often people believe they'll never get burgled until it happens to you. You never think it's going to happen to you. Our homes are special places, aren't they? You feel at your safest when you're at home. And you feel like people can't break in, because if you did think that, you'd probably either put an alarm or do something to prevent the burglar from coming through. And if it does happen, there's this shock, an unexpectedness, this place where I felt so safe for so many years. I no longer feel safe there. That's what happens to a lot of people after they've been burgled. They struggle in their own homes afterwards. Because people don't think Jesus is going to come, because they feel safe in this world, and this world is their home, and they feel safe here, they mock the idea that he's going to come. This is where this expression comes from. 2 Peter 3. 2 Peter 3, verses 9 to 13. 2 Peter chapter 3, verses 9 down to verse number 13. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also in the works, that are therein shall be burned up, seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, whereunto the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. The day of the Lord shall come as a thief. Think of the day of Noah. Noah went to build the ark. Did people take the warning of Noah seriously? That they needed to repent? They mocked. They thought it was ridiculous. Noah was a preacher of righteousness, but that judgment came to the shock, to the horror of the world that suffered under the wrath of God in that flood. 2 Peter 2 in verse 5. 2 Peter 2. And verse number five, and spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. And what is one of the most teased and mocked things of the Old Testament? You don't believe in the flood, do you? Really? You believe in Noah and the flood? Why do people mock it? Because it horrifies them, the fact that there's wrath coming, there's a day of judgment coming for the unbeliever. And rather than deal with the reality of it, the unbeliever would rather scoff and mock because they feel safe. in their home, which is this world. And they don't believe for a second that it can ever be taken away from them. Friends, the world was going on. People were eating and drinking and doing all sorts of things. Life was going on like normal when the flood came. Matthew 24 and verse 37. Matthew 24 and verse number 37. to 39. But as the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark and knew not until the flood came and took them all away So shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. Many of these people who died in the flood were hundreds of years old. They didn't believe it would come. They were living like normal, eating, drinking. They weren't wrapped down. They were so worried about what would certainly happen, according to the promise of God, that life went on like normal. And so will it be at the end of the world when people will go on and the flood will come, the wrath of God will come, and it will be unexpected because they feel safe in this world. They love this world. Friends, do you love this world? Do you love this world? Or do you love the world to come? You can't love both. To love this world is to love its system, to love its sin, to love what it promotes, to love its rebellion against God, and to love the world to come is to desire and look forward to the end of all that sin brings in. And that's to desire peace with God. For the believer, Christ's return is wonderful and encouraging. It is certain to happen. as much as all the prophecies of the Old Testament. Over 300 prophecies pointed towards the Messiah, the Anointed One, and they were all fulfilled, and they will be more fulfilled in the future, time and time again. The Bible is filled with evidence, filled with confirmation that this is the truth. It's just the question of will we study it, will we look at it, will we come prayerfully? It's not just an intellectual exercise either, is it? But in the future, righteousness will dwell on the earth. As certain as the first coming was of Jesus Christ, the certainty of the second one is. And that's wonderful for the believer. It's horrible for the unbeliever. Our second point is this. Christ's requirement. Christ's requirement. Verse 15, once again. Blessed, or no, behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth. Blessed is he that watcheth. There's a difference between the blessed and the condemned in their conduct, in the way they live. One is watchful. The other is not. It says in Matthew 26, in verse 41, Matthew 26. And verse number 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Now this is speaking about when Jesus was with his disciples and they were to pray, but they kept falling asleep. Watch. and pray, and this watching has the idea of alertness, a readiness. Someone who's at a watchman. See, we're to expect Jesus to return, and we're to be watchful, looking for his return. You know, for example, if you're looking forward, young people, you're looking forward to your father coming home from work in the evening, Maybe you're looking out the front window, watchful, excited, and you expect Him to come home. We expect the Lord Jesus Christ to return. We're watchful, we're ready, we're prepared for it. Maybe the dinner is ready, maybe all sorts of things are being done before that. But we're ready for the Lord's return. And what way will we live? If Jesus Christ is gonna come back and there's gonna be no sin, none in this new heaven and this new earth, how will we live? It's gonna be very different, isn't it, to the people who are not watchful. There's an alertness, there's a watchfulness versus a kind of a sleepishness, you could say, a slumber. As you can see in the world, Matthew Henry said this, our Lord's coming will be happy to those that shall be found ready, but very dreadful to those that are not. If a man professing to be the servant of Christ be an unbeliever, covetous, ambitious, or a lover of pleasure, he will be cut off. There's an alertness. We live by hope, we have an expectation. Now, if you love pleasure and if you love this world, you're gonna live very differently to a true believer in Jesus Christ. The alert, watchful person lives with this expectation, lives for the world to come, not this one, invests in the world to come. The person who's not ready, is in slumber, does not watch, and is given over to sin. Because if you don't think the Lord's gonna return, if you're not looking forward to the Lord's return, what will happen? You just do your own thing, don't you? If you lived in a house and you were paying rent, and you knew the landlord was gonna come in and maybe inspect the house maybe once a year, on that day, When he's coming in to have a look at the place, it's probably spotless. But if you don't expect him to turn up, perhaps the house is a little bit messier than usual. See how we live differently if we expect the Lord to return. Holy lives. See, there's a difference between the lost and the saved. There's a difference between those excited for the Lord's return, expectant of the Lord's return, and those who, they may worship. They may go and go through the motions. They may treat religion like it's a vaccine to something that may happen, and we're just gonna do it just in case. And when, at the end of time comes, well, as long as I've gone to church, No, friends, we need personal faith in Jesus Christ. Your works will never be good enough. Your outward worship, devoid of a faith in Jesus Christ, will condemn you more, in fact, because you've listened under the gospel. Friends. Do you choose this world or do you choose the world to come? The requirements of Christ is this, you choose the world to come, not this world. The requirement of Christ is personal faith in Jesus Christ. And a person with personal faith looks to Jesus, is watchful of Jesus, is excited for Jesus, and wants him to come back. The unbeliever doesn't want him to come back. The idea that Jesus is coming back terrifies the unbeliever. and wants him to stay away because you enjoy your sin, but if you hate your sin and you, every single time you fall into sin and you hate it, oh, you can't wait to be rid of us. You long for Jesus to come. Matthew Henry said this, those who choose the world for their portion in this life will have hell for their portion in the other life. May our Lord, when he cometh, pronounce us blessed and present us to the Father washed in his blood, purified by his spirit, and fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Do we love light and hate darkness? We will be watchful, alert. We won't be able to rest in the mire. We rest best, don't we? You know those nights where you have clean sheets for the first time, and you put on these clean sheets, and you can rest, and you have a good night's rest. Well, friends, the Christian rests best not in this fallen world. He's restless in this fallen world. He doesn't fit in. And you'll find this, young people, you will not fit in, in this world. If you do fit in, and if you're comfortable with all the coarse and rude jokes of this world, and it doesn't grieve you, be concerned. but you find rest in the comfort of heaven. This brings us to our third point, Christ's robes. Christ's robes. Christ's return, Christ's requirement, Christ's robes, number three. And part of that watchfulness is our robes. It says in verse number 15, our text, Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments. And keepeth his garments. What condition are our garments to be in? Many jobs, there's uniform. And a uniform, whether it's the army or anything else, it reflects something about you. And if you went to somebody who's in the army and their uniform is in poor condition, it would reflect badly on them, wouldn't it? One job in particular is a chef. And traditionally, a chef would wear white, white clothing. And one of the reasons for that is It shows the professionalism of the job, the whiteness. If the chef is a bit maybe sloppy, there'll be stains all over him, and it will reflect on his professionalism. It's a symbol of cleanliness and precision in the work. And if the chef does not keep his garments, perhaps confidence in the standard and that kitchen will drop. How do we walk in such a way that we keep our garments? By grace. We can do nothing without God. We can do nothing without the grace of Almighty God, which draws us away from ourselves. And we see pictures of this, being clothed in wonderful robes, glistening robes we have to keep Beautiful, in fact, as a testimony before the world. We see in the Old Testament with the Aaronic priesthood and the special clothing in Exodus chapter 28. Exodus chapter 28 and verses 1 to 4. Chapter 28, and verses 1 to 4. And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, native of Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And these are the garments which they shall make a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broided coat, and a mitre, and girdle." So you see this picture. of the priesthood, and in order to come into the presence of God, there was these wonderful garments that they would wear. Now, you're probably thinking at this point, I'm a sinner. Garments are a symbol of our works, and they're never good enough. I praise God that you can see that. Our works are never good enough. Our garments are stained. Actually, they're filthy rags. Adam and Eve, they got fig leaves together and they made a pretty poor attempt to cover themselves. So what happens when we do stain our robes, when we do stain these garments? So we do, we need, should we just ignore it and say, well, I'm not perfect? No, we need to be washed because not that our performance can earn us any favor with God, it's impossible, but for the cause of Christ, for our testimony before the world, that we say, here is our King, and we sin continually, we still do, in thought and word and deed, and we ask continually, daily, for the Lord to forgive us, that when we do sin, we keep short accounts with God. Friends, you do sin on a daily basis. on a daily basis, and if you're only cleaning, you're doing your laundry maybe every few months, what kind of condition will your clothes be in? We need to keep short accounts with God in the blood of Jesus Christ. That's where forgiveness is, in the blood of Jesus Christ. Revelation 7 and verse 14. Revelation 7. And verse number 14, And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. The stains of our sin are so serious that it takes the blood of Jesus Christ to wash us clean, to make us white as snow. 1 John 1 and verse 9. 1 John 1 and verse 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Friends, one of the quickest ways to know if you are backsliding away from the Lord is if you think you have nothing to ask the Lord for forgiveness on a regular basis. We sin daily. We sin Many times. And we need constant forgiveness. We need to constantly go back. The more mature believer, the more you see the glory of God, the more you see the goodness of God in the scriptures, the more you're going to see your own sin, the more you're going to be, at times, almost overwhelmed with the sense of your own sin, the sense of your own unworthiness. But then, for every look unto yourself, you must make 10 looks, as McShane said, unto Jesus Christ. If you just stop there and if you just look at yourself, you'll never have assurance of salvation. Why would you? You look at yourself, you have every reason to despair even today, but if you look to Jesus Christ, you have every reason to have hope, to have expectation. And that hope draws us away. Our walk with Christ, our walk with Christ is not just a one and done and we, We asked Him for forgiveness one time. We are growing in this. Our accounts get shorter and shorter, almost. We see more of our sin. The things we didn't see years ago, we see now. We wish to put these things to death, things that we once tolerated in our walk. That's encouraging if that's happening in your life, to be washed. And that's the fruit and the evidence of saving faith, that Christ has changed you. But these robes that I'm speaking of, they're not robes you have knitted together. They're not robes you have produced in any way. They have been provided by Jesus Christ himself. Those who have responded in faith, Christ has clothed us, covered us, so that we may come not naked before the throne of God, that we may come clothed in royal glistening robes before the throne of God, so that when Jesus does return and he sees a watchful people, not a perfect people, but a people in Jesus Christ, when he comes, a watchful people, a people who keep their garments, that is a fruit and an evidence of changing faith, they will not be naked and they will not have shame. Genesis chapter three and verse 21. Genesis chapter three and verse number 21. In Genesis chapter 3, you see man fall into sin. In Adam, all die. You see this sin. You see the subtlety of Satan. But you see something wonderful. You see the gospel in Genesis chapter 3 in verse 15, the seed of the woman crushing the head of the serpent. And you see Adam responding in faith. The Redeemer would come from the seed of the woman. And he called his wife's name. Eve, meaning the mother of all living. And in response to that faith in verse 20, in verse 21, unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them. To you who have responded in faith to Jesus Christ, he has clothed you. The robes, these are the garments we have at the return of Jesus Christ. If you've been clothed by Jesus Christ, you have every reason to look forward to the future. Future glory, future as we look now. And finally, number four, Christ's rescue. Christ's rescue. So Christ's return, Christ's requirement, Christ's robes, Christ's rescue. There will be no more shame. It says at the end of this verse, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. Adam's and Eve's shame was covered. They were covered by a clothing, by a covering provided by God. An animal killed by God and provided for Adam. But while in Christ Jesus, there's no shame, there's no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8 verse 1. In a declarative way, before the throne of God, if you're saved in Jesus Christ, no condemnation, declared righteous before God. But in our experience, are we completely free from the sense of feeling guilt and shame Are we completely free in this world from the sense of, why did I do that? Or bitter disappointment when we do fall into sin, and we know from our experience in a walk, we're not free from those things. Actually, the fact that you do experience that, that shame when you do fall into sin, and then you do seek the forgiveness of God. We're still in a world that is filled with sin and temptation and other things. But, and these things can cause us to struggle and doubt our salvation and all sorts of other things. But while Christ returns and there will be wrath for the enemies of God, there will be rescue from the presence of sin for those that are alive and remain. Do you believe in Jesus? Yes, we've been saved. Yes, we are redeemed in Christ Jesus. Yes, Jesus said it is finished, but we're still in the presence of sin. We're still in a world full of suffering, which can make us wonder, really? You read the promises of God, and you say, OK, I've tasted a little bit of this, but not in its fullness. And you haven't tasted the fullness of this. You won't. until you go into eternity. To live is Christ and to die is gain. When Paul spoke to the Philippians in chapter one, verse 21, he enjoyed so much of the blessing of being a Christian, but he knew there was greater ahead after his death. And especially at the end of the world. Friends, there's a lot to be encouraged about if you're in this world and you wish to be free from the mire of sin around you. Even in your own hearts, there's still lingering elements of sin that you wish you were rid of and you cannot wait to be rescued from it. But if you love the mire, if you love the sin and the thoughts of being away from your favorite sins, a torment to you. That is a reason to be concerned. Friends, there is nakedness and shame for the unbeliever at the return of Jesus Christ, but for the believer, there is rescue. He brings us away from this world. We can get so used to thinking that this world and sin and suffering and all the torment that we have, and we can get so used to it that we think this is just the way it's always going to be. That's why we struggle, don't we, when we have change in our lives, big change at the beginning, because we think it's always going to be that way. But it won't. Who should be concerned about the things of the end? Who think that they are OK, that they're clothed and they're OK? Well, there's an indication of this in Revelation chapter 3 and verses 15 to 19. Revelation chapter 3 and verses 15 to 19 speaks of the church in Laodicea. It says this in verse 15, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou wert cold or hot, so when thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth, for thou sayest, and this is important, I am rich, and I increase with goods, and I have need of nothing. And I know not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. That person who has all this self-confidence and thinks, I don't need anything from anyone, they'll go to church, they'll think they're a good person, and they'll be shocked in the day of Jesus Christ. And they'll say, Lord, Lord, have we not done many mighty works in thy name? But they were indifferent. They loved the material goods. It says here, I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried of the fire, that thou mayest be rich in white raiment. that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eyesave, and that thou mayest see." You see, they had material goods of this world. They were lukewarm. They were indifferent. They thought they were rich. They thought they were faring sumptuously and all these other things. That was a first-century church. People always want first-century churches. And one of them was Laodicea. And they did not know that they were wretched, blind, and naked. There were churches like that in the first century. There are churches like that today. There have been churches like that for the last 2,000 years. Friends, do you see your need? Do you see that what Christ is coming back for, for the believer, is something wonderful. Because righteousness is a wonderful thing. Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness? Because if you hunger and thirst after righteousness, you are blessed. Because you're hungering and thirsting for the return of Christ. You're hungering and thirsting for the righteousness that will dwell upon the earth. You're hungering and thirsting for the no sin at all, no temptation at all, no suffering at all, which will be upon the new earth one day. And that will make the believer happy. But that will make the unbeliever sad. Are you watchful with expectation, watchful? You see, what might slumber look like? So there's watchfulness and slumber in the Bible, it's kind of contrasted with each other. Slumber, well, you think you're pretty good and you don't have to go grow anymore. You're good because of your family connections or church attendance is okay, or your own works, and all of a sudden what can end up happening is you start admiring yourself rather than admiring Christ. That's a big danger. Friends, are you clothed with Jesus Christ? Not clothed with your own garments, but clothed with a wonderful garments. Those, if that is you friends, we look forward to that day. Blessed is he, blessed is he that watcheth. Blessed. Friends, you're blessed. People will often say that word blessed a lot, don't they? But if you have Jesus Christ, you're the most blessed person upon the face of the earth. And though there will be great suffering in the future for many, we will be rescued. one day, fully and finally, forever and ever, and brought into the presence of Christ to enjoy him forever. Shorter catechism, question one. Why have we been made? To glorify God and to enjoy him forever. We enjoy him here, but we will enjoy him far more when he returns. Amen.