Can I have your attention one more time? Let's pray. Gracious God, we thank Thee for this week. It's been special in many ways. Thy goodness shining through it all. that we had the privilege to behold the Lamb of God, that we would come and see, and then go out and tell, share what we've seen, what we know, share it with the needy world, that truly we may be bearers of good tidings. Lord, we are tired. At the end of the week, help us to listen to Thy Word just one more time. Fill us with Thy Spirit in hearing and seeing. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. What I'd like to do, just go and briefly touch on each of these topics, just kind of wrap it up, and hopefully that you're not too tired to pay attention, and that you just listen one more time intently if you can, and that you take with you what you've heard and seen, what you've beheld, behold the Lamb of God. The first we looked at is your substitute. Have you seen him as your substitute? Jehovah jireh. Jehovah provides. Actually, the word provides is an interesting word. It comes from providera. You know, the word videra is the word videos, what you can see. Pro means before. God provides. He takes care of things which he planned beforehand. He saw it before the world was even made. Provide. He not only saw it, but he saw to it. So the word seeing, we've heard this week, it's a very peculiar word, isn't it? You can say, oh, now I see it. I understand. But you can also say, if somebody asks you to do something, you say, I'll see it to it. It's an interesting word. Seeing, beholding the Lamb of God is much more than what meets the eye. In Genesis 22, verse 8, we read this. Abram said, my son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering. You know that it can be translated also, the Lord will provide Himself as a Lamb for a burnt offering? God will literally see to it that there is a Lamb. Not only He will give a Lamb, send His Son, He will be the Lamb. Did you see Him this week? Did you see Him again? Abraham saw him. Jesus said so in John 8, verse 56. He said, Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it and was glad. When do you think Abraham saw Jesus? Don't you think it was on that Mount Moriah? where there was a substitute, the same place where the temple was going to be built, Mount Moriah, very close to the very place where the Lord Jesus himself, the Lamb of God, died, Mount Golgotha. Behold the Lamb of God as your substitute. Second, as you pass over Exodus 12, When I see the blood, it's interesting, seeing again, isn't it? Behold the Lamb of God, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. What a blessing it is that we may know that God sees it, even when we can't see it at times. When we don't feel it, we don't see it. Remember these people in their houses? They were equally safe whether they had strong faith or weak faith. They just trusted the blood was on the other side, on the outside, God saw it. You can't see it, God says, but I can and I do. And when I see the blood, I will pass over. Trust the blood you can't see. And yet you do see with the eye of faith. That Passover lamb didn't save anyone. It just pointed to the one who did, the Lord Jesus. Did you see it? Did you see him? Behold. Third, as your savior. It's the third topic. Come, see, follow, imitate. One of the most beautiful verses, and I think Dr. Bickey referred to that, John 18, verse 4. I want you to just think about this. Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, shrank back. No, went forth. Knowing all things that should come upon him. He had known it all along. He had seen it. Together with his father, he is seeing to it that it's going to happen, so that we may see. Believing, remember, it was seeing. Knowing all things that should come upon him went forth. Incredible. And then in verse 8, he said to these people, if therefore you seek me, let these go their way. He came as their substitute. He came to stand in between their Savior. If it's about me, let these go. That's the picture. He, for me, so that I may be for Him. All things, knowing all things that should come upon Him. That includes, dear friend, if you're a believer, every single sin. that you committed, he knew. He knew ahead of time every single sin that you and I will still commit. It's awful that we would sin against such love, but we do. And yet, knowing all things, went forth. I can get my head around it. Such love, as Dr. Barrett said, for the unlovely, for the unlovable. You seek Me, let this go their way, as your Savior. But then fourth, as your comfort. Isaiah 40, verse 1, speaks about, Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, and tell her what? that her warfare shall be, no, that her warfare is accomplished. What? Jesus told her to be born. How can that warfare already be accomplished in the present tense? Comfort ye my people, tell her that her warfare is accomplished. It's incredible. You see, because when it's in the mind of God, it's done. When something is your mind and my mind, we still have to see if it gets done, right? Not with God. He foresaw it, he saw to it, he just knew it, it was gonna happen, and God says it, that settles it. Her warfare is accomplished. It was God's eternal plan. It was also his eternal good pleasure. Because you reach in something striking in Isaiah 53 verse 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, in order that the Father shall see the anguish of the soul of his Son, and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. It pleased the Lord! How can it please God the Father to so bruise His Son? The pleasure of the Lord? I see wrath! I see condemnation! I see hell! I see destruction! I see blood! Certainly no pleasure in suffering. That's not what we should get as a takeaway. That we should somehow think that pleasure is suffering and suffering is pleasure. No! Jesus For the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross. The pleasure was not in the suffering. His cry in Gethsemane was real. His cry in Golgotha was real. But why did He go on? He was looking for the reward. The pleasure of the Lord to be obtained through a way of suffering. No cross. No crown for Jesus and for us, but for the joy that is set before us, we endure. What endure is persevere. This is the amazing picture throughout the whole Bible. And it kind of climaxes at the cross. What happened at the cross, really? Think about it. What was poured down from heaven? The wrath of God. But what was his motivation? The love of God. That moved him. So it was an expression of love that manifested itself in wrath because of the goal, not the suffering itself as pleasurable, but the outcome. It's all worth it. Nothing that you and I have to go through, even though you sometimes think you can't handle it, nothing that you and I go through can be compared to the glory that's laid up for us if we're believers. The pleasure of God. The joy of the Lord is our strength. I think I mentioned that in a cabin and I've been thinking about that. Think about next time when you read about the dedication of the tabernacle. Look up these passages and the dedication of the temple. You see, they did everything they had to do to put all the vessels ready, the sacrifices. There's one thing they were not allowed to do. You know what it is? to light the fire of the altar. At the dedication of the tabernacle, at the dedication of the temple, fire came from heaven and destroyed what? The people. No. The wrath of God came down. It had to come down because every sin must be paid for. But it consumed the substitute. There's a picture of Jesus. There's a picture of Golgotha. all through the scriptures. That was the picture. God is so good that he not only gives his words, but he gives you many pictures. Because we're so slow to learn and so dull of learning and of hearing. So for the joy that's before him, he endured. And then we read on in Hebrews 12 on that that's the way we too are to follow. That's the fifth part. As your example, is he your comfort? Is he then therefore also your example? Because having received so great gift, we can't but give in return, never to repay. But is he your example? John 13 verse 3. Listen carefully. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, Wow, think about that. If you would have all power given to you in heaven and in earth, what would you do? You know what's in John 13, right? The foot washing. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hand, commanded his disciples to wash his feet. Oh, entirely the opposite. He went, took a towel, and washed the feet of his disciples. Power, all power to serve. Entirely contrary to our sinful human nature, when people have all power in their hands, absolute power corrupts absolutely, but not this. That's the power that we've received, to serve. to serve. And not because we have to, but because we want to. Jesus said it was his delight, it was his food to do the will of his father. Already when he was a 12-year-old boy. In other words, what happens when you have really beheld the Lamb of God, duty becomes delight. I want you to understand that. If that's not the case, perhaps you haven't looked long enough to Jesus. You're too much doing it and scraping together some courage and energy. Confess it as sin, look to Christ, behold, and then follow Him. From duty to delight, as Jesus, so we. You know what it says in John 13 verse 19, or actually before that, he says, know that I have given you an example. Doesn't mean we have to literally wash one another's feet, but we have to do things that we are called to do, that we don't really feel like doing, but when we look to Christ and see what he did, then the not feeling like doing will vaporize. You know what it says in verse 19? 17, rather. John 13 verse 17. If you know these things, happy if you do them. It's one thing to know it. You all know it now. Everyone that's walking out the door, you know it. But you're only going to be happy if you do it. Is that what the Bible says, James? We're not only called to be hearers, but also what? Doers of the word. We not only have to see it, we have to also see to it that others may see it, or rather see him, of course. Happy are you if you do it. The word happy in the New Testament is makarios, and you find it several places throughout scripture in the New Testament, it is as blessed Blessed is happy. So when it says blessed are those and blessed, they're all happy. Remember what I said about the pleasure of God and the joy of the Lord? The happiness. As your example, is he your example? Do you want him to be your example? Look more to him, be more in the scriptures. Vow before God in your own conscience, say, Lord, I'm going to put my effort in to read every day at least sometime in Thy Word. Sixth, it's your Lord. It's your Lord. We heard about that this morning. That the Lamb is on the throne. He's Lord of all. Whether you serve him or not, he is still your Lord. You're either going to be his enemy, and the end of that order this morning is very plain. No matter what you think. To have it my way, as one composer said, I have it my way. Poor soul. Revelation 17, verse 14, "'Thee shall make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them.'" shall overcome them. How do I know that? Comfort ye, comfort ye my people. Tell her that her warfare is accomplished in the mind of God, which is already enough. But sometimes we are so slow. The Lord gives so many evidences. And of course, then the war was won on Golgotha. Satan, you can be sure if Satan had realized that by putting Jesus to the death on the cross, that that would be his defeat. Do you think he would have gotten there? He was blinded. He thought he had them. And was conquered. The death of Christ. He's Lord of all. He shall overcome them. For he is Lord of lords and King of kings. And they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful. Called today, chosen. How do I know if I'm chosen? The moment I come to Christ and confess all my sins to Him and surrender all to Him, that's the best evidence that you will have in your life that you're chosen. All that the Father giveth me, Jesus says, what? All that He gave me in eternity, guess what? Shall come to me. So the being given to the Father, elect, there's the best evidence. You come to the Lamb. And him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. In other words, if you haven't yet come, you come now, you're welcome. That's how Revelation closed. If you're thirsty, whosoever will, let him come and drink the water of life as your Lord. So come out, that was the warning we heard this morning. Come out, how? By coming and seeing something that's far better. Stop staring blind at all that deceit this morning. Very plain. I don't need to repeat that. Come and see by faith one day by sight. That's the last point. So not only do you see them as your Lord, but also as your heaven. You know, every believer is in heaven already. Ephesians 2, you know what it says there? It says in present tense that we are seated with him in heavenly places. How can it possible? I'm still here. The warfare is won. Yeah, but I'm still in the trenches. Oh, yes. Satan is still going around this roaring lion, but he cannot touch you. If you put your trust in Christ, that is. So we're not yet in heaven physically. Though heaven is in us, because the Holy Spirit dwells in us, who dwells in Jesus, who dwells in the Father. That's why we are seated with him in heavenly place. He's the head, we're the body. Cannot be separated. Revelation 5.12, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. Worship, that's one word, worship. What do we do when we worship Him? We give Him all that He is worthy of. It was actually the original word is worth-ship. You dedicate, devote all that you have, all that you are to Him. Worship. Revelation 19 verse 9, blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he says to me, these are the true sayings of God. You will worship him and you will fellowship with him and with each other. You know what was said of Adam, right? He walked with God in the garden. You know, you're going to walk with Jesus in a far better garden. Remember what Garden of Eden meant? Now you know. Garden of pleasure. You see, if there's anything that I struggled with in my younger years when I didn't understand the gospel, and even later, I thought always that I had to make a choice between holiness and happiness. For the longest time, I didn't understand that's the same thing. Holiness is happiness. Because you worship God and you have fellowship with God who is a river of pleasures. We always think about pleasure. Oh, that's the pleasure of sin. We heard about that from Revelation and other places in Scripture. But we, Satan, corrupted pleasure into something that's bad. But it was good and it still is good. Holiness is happiness. Holiness is pleasure. You see, and every time you take the time to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, and then go forward, just like the Israelites, when they stood before the Red Sea, first they were told to stand still. And so it will be today, in this week, stand still, see the salvation of the Lord. And then they were told to go forward. And there wasn't even a path yet. But there came one. Maybe you have sometimes you don't see a path. And maybe you think back and think of this camp, I think, oh man, if I could just hang on to this. It's special, it's like an oasis in the wilderness. Because it's, the wilderness, life is a wilderness. If you really, the more you focus on the land, the more you will recognize that even the most beautiful scenes is really wilderness. Couple years ago, Pastor Niels spoke at the concluding part of the camp, I never forgot. He says, you think about this camp as a special time. And it is, and it was, and it's part of your memory, and I hope it's going to be a blessing to you. But dear friends, you know that you have this every Sunday? Every Lord's Day. I'm the Lord, you're God. Be holy, for I'm holy, the Lord. Then the gospel preach, behold the Lamb of God. Every Sunday. Most of us twice. 52 times a year. Not just once a year. And guess what? You can have it every day. So no matter what you're doing, no matter how busy you are, this cannot be skipped. Because you see, the world is so attractive that if you don't feed on this, eat and drink the bread of life, and if you don't see the perspective of the pleasure of God, that will prosper only when you crack this book open, because this is the way how he communicates to us. You see, and if you do that, the stuff around you is not as attractive. But if you skip this, especially if you skip it a little longer, just like if you wouldn't eat for a couple days and you go to work, you'll crash. So you'll do spiritually. So once a year, 52 times a year, 365 times a year, and then forever. We sang the other day, in 10,000 years, That's only begun. Pleasure. That's what holiness is. But we're so deluded, even the most advanced in grace, too deluded too often, too often distracted by these things. And then you can kick yourself after, how can I do that? So then next thing you do is not try to do better, but first confess it. Say, I'm so sorry, Lord. And think back that Jesus, knowing all things, went forth, even that particular sin, he knew. He knew it ahead of time. So in other words, if you then afterwards sin the sin, not to excuse sin, never to sin, think lightly of sin, ever, but to magnify grace. I hope that's your takeaway from Catholic.