How Real is the Kingdom of God to You?

Well, good evening, everyone. Wow, what a powerful way to start the feast. That really was a very, very powerful special music. It's been nice to be back here again. We were actually proved to come here last year. Looking forward to coming down here to Panama City Beach. And then Mr. Luecker had to go and get elected president. I happened to call him to congratulate him. And he said, well, how would you like to come back and pass from Seattle and see Joe Woolley? Well, I'm gone. And of course, I was born and raised in Seattle. That's my hometown. That's where I started church there many, many years ago. Before I went to Ambassador College, I did go to one year to Pasadena and then two years to Big Sandy. So it's really nice to be finally back here at Panama City Beach, even though it was a one-year delay. Last year, we went up to Columbia, British Columbia. Venerosloma was up there. And then also to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where I'd never been there before. It's a beautiful area. I love it. I'm on my way out in the prairie country. David Palmer was the Peace Coordinator up there. So we had a great time up there last year. But really glad to finally get back here to Panama City Beach. I'd better put my glasses on or I'll soon move my place in my notes here before I get very far.

Son Derek is also here with us. He's from Laurel, Mississippi. So this is a sign site. So he's here with our granddaughter, Cindy. So it's great to have a family here with us as well. Ten years ago, just over ten years ago now, that 911 occurred, just about three weeks before the feast in 2001. The terrorist attacks on the United States of America. We all remember so well. In fact, just about a month ago, since it was the tenth anniversary, there was quite a bit on the news going over some of those events. Of course, those terrorist attacks launched us into a new world order, so to speak. They changed the direction of America. Of course, they launched us into the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and the ongoing war on terror, which, of course, in turn, caused our national debt to rise considerably, as it's still rising extremely rapidly every other day. Every day, I should say. And now, I think it's up in excess of almost approaching $15 trillion now, I think it's $14.7 trillion or something like that, and rising rapidly every day. And, of course, in 2008, we had the collapse of the housing market. That's why we still have our home in Flushing. We have our home in Michigan, but we're living in Washington. We're living in Luker's home out in Seattle, near Bothell, near Seattle. And you can't sell a home in Michigan. I've probably lost about half its value. So our daughter and son-in-law are living in their home for us, where we're in Washington. And, of course, that has affected everybody. The crash of the housing market has affected a lot of you. A lot of people lost a lot of their investment, their retirement. People who want to retire now are having a hard time figuring out how they're going to retire. Many have lost a great deal of their savings, as we've all been what's happened in the last couple years in the downturn in our economy. So today, the United States of America, which is once the most prosperous nation on the face of the earth by far, is in deep trouble financially. In fact, it's really very close to being bankrupt. Right now, we might take in, I think, enough of about 40% of our budget, and the other 60%, we either have to print money, which decreases the value of the dollar, or we have to borrow from foreign nations like China and other countries. So that's affected us tremendously, and is going to affect our standard of living for all of us. And right now, even, they had to downgrade our currency, not our currency, but our downgrade, our credit rating as a nation. So we're living in very difficult and very dangerous, very perilous times. And the Apostle Paul spoke of these times we're now living in, in his second letter to Timothy, if you'd like to turn there, in this introduction to my opening message here tonight. The Scriptures are all very familiar with 2 Timothy 3, beginning in verse 1. Apostle Paul wrote this, as he was living in very difficult and very perilous times, at the time he wrote this, over 19 centuries ago. But know this, that in the last days, speaking prophetic, are the times we're living in. In the last days, perilous times will come, for as my margin says, times of stress. Times of stress. And today we are living in very perilous times, and in very stressful times. I know it's sometimes very stressful for God's people to even make it to the Peace of Tabernacles. I know a number of people have very difficult trials. But I know one situation, I won't go into it, but where it really took a miracle from God for them to actually make it to the feast, because it's something that happened on the way to the feast. It wasn't an accident or anything like that, but something else happened that could have prevented them from attending the feast, if it were not for God's intervention.

Paul then tells us here in this letter to 2nd Timothy, he tells us the factors which led up to the last days being very perilous times, and they describe the times we're living in right now. As verse 2 says, Having an outward appearance of believing in God and acknowledging God, but denying His power from such people, turn away. They don't really believe in the power of God.

All these things now permeate much of our society, as it's described here, which makes the times we are now living in very perilous. Jesus predicted here by the Apostle Paul for the last days.

Like I said, this past September 11th was the 10th anniversary of the 911 terrorist attacks on America, which changed the world we now live in, quite dramatically.

Back in 10 years ago, we all probably remember where we were when we heard about the attacks. We went over the plane accidentally and hit those towers. Then we found out it wasn't an accident at all. It was planned. We saw the second plane hit, because we probably were glued to our TV sets for several days at that time.

But it was hard for our minds to process what we were seeing, when you think back 10 years ago.

That was the reality. When you watched that, and then you saw those buildings collapse. First, the South Tower, then the North Tower, a short time afterwards, it was hard to believe that that was really happening. There were people there in those buildings, and they collapsed, with nearly 3,000 lives being lost, just here in a few moments.

It was hard for us to almost surreal. It was hard for us to believe that was really happening, as we were watching that. This evening, we are here to once again observe the Feast of Tabernacles, which portrays the reality of the soon-coming Kingdom of God.

Someone asked this question, how real is the Kingdom of God?

Are we just here to kind of get away from the world for a week, and kind of have a little vacation time, and enjoy ourselves at the beach? Or are we here to prepare for the reality of the soon-coming Kingdom of God? See, why are we here? And is there a coming reality to why we are here this evening, to begin this Feast of Tabernacles? That is what I want to focus on this evening in the Sultanie Night Message, as we prepare to observe this Feast of Tabernacles here in Panama City Beach in 2011. The title of my sermon here, the Sultanie Night Message, is simply that question, why are we here? That is my title. Why are we here?

And I want to begin by asking a very, very basic question. Is the Kingdom of God real? Is it real?

Is Christ really going to return to the earth? Now, we've been anticipating that for a long time, but is it really going to happen someday? Will that be a reality at some point? Is Christ really going to subdue all nations? Is He going to subdue all terrorists? There will be no more terror. Is He going to establish the Kingdom of God here on the earth, as is promised in God's Word?

Are the dead in Christ at that time literally going to be resurrected to meet Christ in the air and then be with Him? As He comes to the earth?

Will those who then remain be changed in a moment and the twinkling of an eye, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15?

Will there come a time when there will be two men in the field and when one will be taken and the other left? Will there really come a time when there will be two women grinding at the mill and one will be taken and the other left? Will nations really learn how to beat their swords into plowshares and learn how to not lift up sword against nation anymore, learn war anymore? Will there come a time when the wolf will dwell with the lamb and when a little child will actually be able to leave them when animals will be taken and their nature will be changed? Will man's nature be changed?

Will there really come a time when they shall not hurt nor destroy in all of God's holy mountain because the earth will be full of the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea? All those are promises in God's Word. But are they real? Will that time really come? Are these all just words we read on the pages of the Bible? Or are they real? Will all these things really happen? Is the kingdom of God real? Or is it just something we observe every year? How real is it to you? To you personally? See, why are we here? It's a very basic question. See, if these events I just described, if they're not really real, then you know me, well, Asimov, go back home and save our money. Are they really going to happen? Are we here because the kingdom of God is going to be a reality? Do we realize that? Do we understand that? Do we look at it that way? Are these events described in God's Word real?

We are all here because we have all been called and we received a special calling to prepare for, to participate in, and to have a vision of the reality of the soon-coming kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is real. It's going to come. It's far more real than the events that we witnessed ten years ago in 9-1-1. That seemed almost surreal, but the kingdom of God is real. It's really going to happen. So I'd like now to focus for a short time here on three things. I want to focus on three specific reasons why we are here. The first reason is this. Number one, we are here because we are here to receive a vision of the reality of the coming kingdom of God. We are here to receive a vision of that reality. Let's begin by turning to Psalm 29, verse 18.

I'm reading from the New King James. Actually, in this scripture I like better than the Old King James, but I'll read the New King James first. Psalm 29, verse 18, which says, "...where there is no revelation," or actually my margin says, "...prophetic vision." Whether there is no revelation or prophetic vision, "...the people cast off restraint." Or as the Old King James has it, "...where there is no vision, the people perish." Ten years ago, nearly 3,000 people perished. Because they had no idea what was about to happen. They went to work that morning, they went to work, they went to Twin Towers, some worked up on the higher floors, or there were 100 stories higher or more. They went to work like they normally would, with no clue as to what was going to happen. They had no vision. The two planes were going to crash into those towers, and the towers would come crashing down. If somebody told them that, it was impossible. That can't happen. And because they did not have a vision, they couldn't foresee that. They had no way of knowing, because of that nearly 3,000 people perished.

But we do have a vision. This piece of Tabernacles does give us a vision of the reality of the soon-coming Kingdom of God. And God wants that vision to be real to all of us. So that we will not let down or perish spiritually. The Hebrew word translated, perish, here in the authorized version, or translated, cast off restraint in the New King James, is parah, P-A-R-A. Parah, I'm pronouncing that right. It's a prime word which means to loosen, to dismiss, or to set it not. So why then do we need vision? We need vision so we will never loosen our grip on the tremendous calling that God has given us, so that we will never dismiss that calling or said it did not.

It's a tremendous opportunity. We don't ever want to loosen our grip or set that calling a knot, because if we do, we'll begin to perish spiritually speaking. We need vision of the reality of the soon-coming kingdom of God so we will not perish spiritually. So we will never lose our grip on our calling or dismiss the calling that God has given us, no matter how many trials we go through, no matter how much stress we have to face in our lives, no matter how difficult things might be to move forward.

Now, Christ was training twelve disciples, and there were three of them and he particularly knew were going to be key disciples. He knew they were going to face a lot of stress, a lot of trials, a lot of difficulties. He knew Satan would be going after them to try to get them discouraged to give up. Christ knew that Peter, James, and John would have to endure many difficult trials, and he wanted to make sure they would never let loose of their calling as a result of those trials. So Christ then gave them a vision of the reality of the coming kingdom of God, and that is recorded forth in Matthew 17. If you turn there, please, Matthew 17.

Matthew 17. I'll begin in verse 1. In after six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John, his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. He was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun. His clothes became white as light. And behold, in this vision, as it tells us here a little bit later, behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. And then Peter answered and said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, let us make here three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah. At the very time they received this vision, it very likely was about the time of the Feast of Tabernacles and all probability, which portrayed the reality of the sin and coming kingdom of God. Christ at this time gives them this vision. He goes on in verse 5, While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed him. And suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, Rise and do not be afraid.

Don't be afraid. Verse 8, When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only, and now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no one, until the Son of Man is risen from the dead. Without vision, the people perish. Without vision, people can loosen their grip on their calling, or dismiss it, or set it aside. And Peter, James, and John were going to be key disciples, and they needed a sure vision of the reality of the kingdom of God, so they could then pass that reality on to others, so others that they would be working with and training would not lose their grip on their calling, or lose the vision of the reality of the coming kingdom of God. So why are we here? Well, we are here to receive a vision of the reality of the coming kingdom of God, so we will never set aside or dismiss our calling, no matter how difficult things get for us, no matter how many trials we go through, or how difficult those trials become. What is the second reason why we're here? Well, secondly, we're here to prepare for the reality of the coming kingdom of God. And we can see that from what's recorded in Revelation 19. We'll turn there. Revelation 19, beginning in verse 5.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready. Now stop and think about what we just read here and the way it's written. Why did God inspire this to be written in the present tense? Why does it say, the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready? Why does it instead say, the marriage of the Lamb will come, and his wife will make herself ready? Why does it say it in the present tense? And why did God also inspire verse 6 to also be in the present tense? For Lord God omnipotent reigns, not the Lord God omnipotent will reign.

Well, the answer is both very, very basic and very simple, and I think very profound at the same time. I think, believe that God states these events that have not yet taken place, as if they were taking place, is because he wants us to realize that the kingdom of God is real. It's real. You may as well put it in the present tense because it is real. It's going to happen. And God wants us to prepare for these events knowing that they are real. Not just thinking, well, there's something we read and we observe.

They're not just words written on the page of the Bible. Christ is going to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And Christ will take his bride, and his bride will make herself ready. These events are real events. And God wants us now to prepare for the sure reality of these events.

Also, let's go to Matthew 25. Matthew 25 is not just an interesting parable. It depicts a sure reality.

Matthew 25, beginning in verse 1. Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five were wise and five were foolish. And those who were foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them. Their oil had gone out. It was going out. Their light was beginning to fade because they'd lost the reality of the kingdom of God in their minds. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps because the wise knew the kingdom of God was real.

And they were prepared accordingly. And they refused to let down. They kept up their spiritual relationship with God. They kept up that as the top priority in their lives because they knew the kingdom of God was real. But the foolish lost their vision.

And because of that, they let down spiritually and they set their calling aside because the kingdom of God was not real to them.

Going on in Matthew 25 verse 5. While the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight a cry was heard. Behold, the bridegroom is coming. Go out and meet Him. The time has come.

The reality of the kingdom of God is here.

Verse 7, And then all those versions arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, We'll give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you, But go rather to those who sell and buy for yourselves. And in other words, they were saying, We can't prepare for you. You have to prepare for yourselves.

It has to be real to you. Going on in verse 10, And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, And those who were ready went in with Him to the wedding, And the door was shut. Afterwards the other ten virgins said, Well, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said to them, Assuredly I say to you, I don't know you. Watch therefore, for you do not know the day nor the hour In which the Son of Man is coming. See, why are we here? We are here to prepare for the reality Of the soon coming kingdom of God. So we will make ourselves ready now To be the bride of Christ. Because the marriage of the Lamb is real. That marriage is going to take place someday. That time is going to come. Christ will take a real bride, But only a bride who has made herself ready.

She made herself ready because she prepared For the reality of the soon coming kingdom of God. Now, a third specific reason why we are here Is to participate in the reality Of the soon coming kingdom of God.

In what way, then, can we now participate In the reality of the kingdom of God? We are all disciples of Jesus Christ.

Now, for a moment, I want to try to put yourself Go back a little over 1,900 years, nearly 2,000 years now Go back to about 31 AD, I should say To the time just leading up to Christ's death Imagine you were one of Christ's disciples Imagine you were in that upper room with Him As He instituted that New Testament Passover service With His disciples for the very first time Just before He was betrayed Before He died on an evening of the Passover Put yourself in that spot.

Imagine you were there. Turn to Luke 22 Luke 22 Begin in verse 1 The peace of all men and bread drew near Which is called Passover And the chief priests and the scribes thought How they might kill Him How they're going to put Christ to death They're applauding His death For they feared the people The chief priests and the scribes They feared the people Dropping down to verse 14 When the hour had come, Christ sat down with the twelve apostles The disciples who became His twelve apostles And He said to them, With fervor and desire, desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer So He was telling very plainly, who's going to suffer?

They didn't get it, but that's what He was telling them, He was going to suffer For I say to you, I will no longer eat of it Until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God And He took the cup and gave thanks and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again Until the kingdom of God comes And He took bread and gave it thanks and broke it And gave it to them, saying, This is my body which is given to you Do this in remembrance of me And He took the cup after suffering, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you So He's telling me He's going to pour out His blood for His disciples He was going to die He was going to die and be put to death I don't think they got it, but He was telling me very funny that was going to take place But behold, the hand of my betrayer is with me on the table And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined But woe to that man by whom He has betrayed Then they began to question among themselves Which of them it was who would do this thing But now I want you to get the picture here That was not the only thing they questioned on that night Go back according to John's account, John 13 Christ had also just washed their feet Their Savior had just washed their feet And He'd shared with them the bread, which was symbolic of His body, which He said was given for you And Christ had just passed the cup of wine, which He said is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you And Christ's disciples had just participated in the very first New Testament Passover service With Christ Himself on that very evening on which He would be betrayed Imagine if you were there They were participating in the historical event of all historical events up to that time At one of the most critical periods of time in the history of the world And they were the key individuals Christ had chosen to participate in those events However, they obviously did not have an active perspective on what they were participating in And what was taking place They did not comprehend the urgency of the events they were participating in How do I know that?

How do I know they weren't really understanding the urgency of what they were participating in? I know that because of what Luke writes next What do you course next here in verse 24?

Because it wasn't the only one I questioned who was going to betray Him But they're also questioning verse 24 There was also a dispute among them as to which of them should be considered the greatest Wow! It seems almost blow your mind you read that The chief resubscribes were seeking to kill the very Son of God, verse 2 The disciples had been with Christ for three and a half years They knew who He was And Christ had just told them He was about to suffer and shed His blood for them, verses 15 and 20 This is obviously an extremely urgent time It was an historic period of time, like no other historic period of time up to this point in the history of the world And what was on the mind of the disciples of Christ?

They were disputing and arguing among themselves as to who would be the greatest As Christ disciples today, we are living in extremely urgent times We are now living in the very time leading up to the return of Jesus Christ To establish the Kingdom of God on the earth and to take for Himself a bride And we are now called to be participants in this coming reality of the soon coming Kingdom of God See, what is the Kingdom of God all about?

What should our focus be as participants in this soon coming reality? Should it be on who's going to be the greatest?

Do we ever see any hint of that among the various churches of God, is who's the greatest? Who's doing the greatest work?

It's amazing, isn't it? See, what should our focus be? What did Christ tell His disciples 2,000 years ago? Going on in Luke 22, verse 25, He said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercised lordship over others, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. But not so among you, on the contrary. He was greatest among you, let him be as a younger, and he who governs be as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?

Well, the way the world would look at it, isn't it? He who sits at the table is the greatest? He's the one that's being served? But yet then Christ says, but yet I am among you as the one who serves.

Christ was a servant leader. His focus was on serving, not on being great, even though He was a Son of God. He had every right to be great. He was great. And He told His disciples, let whom who governs be as he who serves, He said, I am among you as the one who serves. As Christ had just demonstrated by washing the feet of His disciples, He was among them as the one who serves.

Why are we here? We are here to learn how to serve as Christ served.

We are here to learn how to put on the mind of Jesus Christ.

We are here, as Paul put it in bookings 2 and 3, to learn how to esteem others better than ourselves, and how to look out for the interest of others, and not just our own interests. To learn how to participate in the reality of the Kingdom of God as one who serves, even as Christ did. That is what the Kingdom of God is all about. It's about serving the people of the world. So we can help them to fulfill the tremendous calling that God will give them, and for which they were created and born.

We are here to participate in the reality of the soon-coming Kingdom of God as servant leaders, learning how to serve others. Those are the three specific reasons why we are here to receive a vision of the reality of the Kingdom of God, to prepare for that reality, and to participate in that reality, or learning how to serve others.

Before we close, I want to show you one final reality. In John 15, verse 13, and I'll just quote it, John 15, 13, Christ said, In Matthew 10, verse 39, Christ said, What about someone who would lay down their life for a stranger? For someone they didn't know? Would you do that? Would I do that? In Matthew 10, verse 39, Christ said, He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. Of course, in both cases, Christ was speaking spiritually. What if God the Father and Jesus Christ saw this reality? What if they saw not one? What if they saw seven individuals who were willing to literally lay down their lives to try to save someone else's life? And what if the life they wanted to save was not a friend, but a stranger? You think that might catch God's attention?

If God witnessed that reality, might he not decide to intervene and spare all their lives? Might not God display his power? Remember what we read in 1 Timothy 3? In the last days, some will have a form of godliness, but deny the power of God. They won't believe that God really has the power to do what he says he's going to do.

Well, here is one final reality that almost certainly illustrates that very thing, that illustrates the reality of the power of God to intervene and save lives.

Just over ten years ago, two planes were globally flown into the Twin Towers of the New York Trade Center. Both those towers were over 100 stories high. At 8.46 a.m., the first plane was flown into the North Tower. And then just over 15 minutes later, at 9.03 a.m., the second plane hit the 2nd Tower. It hit the South Tower.

Even though the South Tower was hit second, it fell first. It fell before the North Tower. The South Tower collapsed at 9.59 a.m. on that September 11, 2001, only 56 minutes after it had been hit by the plane.

The North Tower collapsed less than 30 minutes later, at 10.28 a.m., that morning.

Again, the total number who died when those two towers fell is not really known for sure, but it's estimated that 2,750 people died in those towers when they collapsed.

But here is an amazing reality that most do not know of.

It's an unbelievable reality. And I know I was watching some of the things that they were rehearsing, you know, and they were going over some of those events about a month ago on the 10th anniversary, but I don't know if they played this story again or not. But the way the world is today, I doubt it.

When the North Tower collapsed at 10.28 a.m., there were eight people in that tower at the time it collapsed who survived. Did you know that? Did you know there were eight people in the North Tower when it collapsed? They were inside the tower when it collapsed, and they survived unscathed!

How could that be real? How was that possible? How could anyone survive after having 100 stories of steel and cement compressing down on top of them? Lost tons of furniture and other debris. How could they? How could they survive? How could that be a reality?

Here is a true story of a lady by the name of Josephine. An African-American and the seven firemen of Ladder Company No. 6.

Josephine was about 60 years old. She went to work that morning, and she worked on the 73rd floor of the North Tower when the plane struck just above her. I think the plane struck between the 80th and 85th floor somewhere in there. So she immediately began going down the stairs. The only way down you'd go down the stairs. Can you imagine that? She had to go down to get out. She had to go down 73 flights of stairs. She was somewhat a heavyset woman, 60 years old.

Then, not long after the first plane struck, the seven firemen of Ladder Company No. 6, they began climbing the stairs with about 100 pounds of equipment on their backs. They wanted to try to get to the 80th floor to try to put the fire out. They made it up to about the 27th floor of the North Tower when the South Tower collapsed. When that South Tower collapsed, as they realized it was useless to try to go on up to put the fire out, they knew the only thing they could do was get out of that North Tower as fast as they could to try to save their own lives. So they began descending.

They became... They realized that their tower would probably soon collapse as well. As they were descending, they encountered Josephine on the 13th floor of the North Tower. She had already come down 60 flights of stairs. She was just about worn out. She could barely, barely get from one step to another. So these seven firemen, they decided they would help her. They stopped and they said, well, we'll help you get out, because they realized she needed help, but she was exhausted. She was already all but totally worn out. So those seven firemen decided to walk the rest of the way with her to help her get out.

When they reached the landing of the 4th floor, and they started to go down from the landing of the 4th floor to the landing of the 3rd floor, they started to go down those stairs. Josephine just collapsed. She didn't know. She was too heavy to carry, but she said, I can't go any further. She said, I've got to sit down and rest. I can't make it. I can't make it any further without resting. They all knew the tower could collapse at any time, so she told the seven firemen, she said, you all leave. Get out. Get yourselves out. Save yourselves. I'll rest for a while, and when I get some strength back, I'll continue calming down. They didn't realize at that point, here they are, between the 4th and 3rd floor, and they didn't realize they only had just a few moments, a few minutes, probably about 10 minutes or less to get out before that was going to collapse. They didn't have any time to rest. If they had gone as fast as they could go, they might have made it. But she said, I've got to rest. The seven firemen said, we're not leaving without you.

We're going to work here with you, because we want to make sure we can help you get out.

Even though they didn't realize it then, they didn't have any time to rest.

But Josephine was totally, but Josephine was totally exhausted. She had to rest. She couldn't go on. But there were seven firemen who refused to leave her.

They told Josephine, who was a stranger to them, whom they'd only just met just shortly before that, that they were going to stay there with her, to help her save her life. They would not go on without her. Even though it meant putting all their lives in danger. So all eight of them stopped. They always stopped on the stairwell between the fourth and the third floors of the North Tower.

And then they were still sitting there resting at 10.28 a.m. that morning, when the North Tower collapsed on top of them.

Can you imagine that? Can you imagine that you were sitting there and you heard that? You realize what was happening? Your whole life would have flashed before you in a second, realizing your life was gone. It was all over.

But here's another even greater reality. The reality which directly pertains to the Kingdom of God and the power of God.

See, God is real. God's power is real. God's promises are real.

He who loses his life for my sake will find it. Again, Matthew 10.39. And here's another reality here in Matthew 25. You turn back to Matthew 25.

Matthew 25 verse 31.

When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory and all the nations we gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another. The shepherd divides the sheep from the goats, and He will say to the sheep on His right hand, He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on His left. And then the King will say to those on His right hand, to the sheep, Come, you blessed my Father, inherit the Kingdom of Parrot for the youth and the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you called me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.

Or maybe they would say, I was totally worn out and exhausted and I couldn't go on, but you stayed with me and refused to leave me, even at the risk of your own lives.

Verse 37, Then the righteous will answer and say, Well, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink? Or when did we see you a stranger and take you in or naked and clothed you? When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you? And the king will answer, verse 40, and say to them, Assuredly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did it to one of these, the least of my brethren, of an individual made in my image and likeness, who has the potential of being in my family, inasmuch as you did to one of the least of these, my brethren you did it to me. To me.

When the North Tower collapsed at 10.28 a.m., only one thing remained in that entire building. It just collapsed about six stories of rubble. But one thing remained intact, and one thing only, the stairwell between the fourth and third floors, where Josephine, those seven firemen, were sitting, it remained intact. It did not collapse. When the dust is settled, you look at that rubble, there was that stairwell, and there were those eight people still sitting there unscathed.

They were alive. They were unharmed.

I personally believe it was by the hand of God. I don't believe there's any other answer or explanation.

Josephine got together with those firemen later, and they gave her a fireman's jacket with these words described in the back of the jacket.

Josephine, our guardian angel.

They figured that Josephine saved their lives.

In conclusion, then, why are we here?

We are here because God is real. We are here because God's promises are real.

We are here because God's power is real. Because God's kingdom is real.

And for everyone who has a vision of the reality of the coming kingdom of God, and for everyone who prepares for that reality, and for everyone who participates in that reality, the kingdom of God, by learning how to serve others, God will bestow this. Final Scripture, Luke 22. Luke 22, verse 29.

And I will bestow upon you a kingdom, that just as my Father bestowed one upon me. That's what Christ will say to all of us who follow His words and who trust in God's power and God's reality of His kingdom. We are here so Christ can bestow upon us a kingdom so He can bestow upon us a reality which is the kingdom of God.