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[0:00] I want to look at the prophecy that we read, that is right in the middle of chapter 2.

[0:30] I love it. I like that. Page 9791. And we've seen verses 6 and 7.

[0:43] For thus says the Lord of hosts, yet once more in a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth, and the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in. And I will fill this house with glory.

[0:56] This is the prophecy from O Little Town of Bethlehem. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. And that is a big claim, isn't it?

[1:08] There's different ways of translating. Verse 7, I will fill this house with glory. But I do think it is as valid a translation that Charles Wesley does.

[1:20] The hopes and fears of all the years are met in you tonight. I think that's equally as valid as that. I hope I'll show you that. So, is that true? Is that just poetic license?

[1:33] Is that a wonderful statement? That the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Jesus tonight? Is that just hopelessly unrealistic and yet a wonderful sentiment?

[1:46] Do you know the Rugby World Cup song? The world in union, the world has won. As we climb to reach our destiny, a new age has begun.

[1:57] Do you know that song? Well, it takes more than an oval ball, doesn't it? However poetic you think rugby is. It takes more than an oval ball or even the oval office to bring in a new age. What will bring about this new age that is prophesied in Haggai?

[2:12] 500 years before Jesus was born, Haggai wrote these words. He wrote to a bunch of returned exile. Their world had collapsed. They'd been taken out of their land, put in another land that they didn't want to be in for 70 years.

[2:24] But now some of the older people had returned. Some of them could remember the glory of the good old days of Solomon. They'd come out of exile. And they are attempting to rebuild the temple.

[2:37] But nothing can compare with the good old days of David and Solomon. And so they're discouraged. And they're ready to give up. And God speaks to them through the prophet Haggai. And he says to them, in a little while, verse 6, I will shake the heavens and the earth.

[2:53] In a little while. I will shake the heavens and the earth and the dry land and the sea. I'll shake all nations. The NIV says, all the desire of the nations will come. The ESV says, the wealth and the treasure of the nations will come.

[3:09] And both of those translations are possible. And they don't contradict each other. But I want to take it the way the Handel in the Messiah took it. And the way that Charles Wesley takes it. And that is the prophecy of the Lord Jesus. That he is the desire of all nations.

[3:23] Some of you might think, well, can't that possibly be? That's ridiculous, isn't it? We know only too well that nobody desires Jesus. Really? Who decides Jesus?

[3:35] People don't decide. He's not the desire of all nations. He doesn't make it to the front cover of Time magazine. I looked at the airport today. The world in 2014. There's no mention of Jesus in there. Jesus didn't get a Nobel Peace Prize.

[3:48] There was no state funeral. No tributes from all over the world. How can you talk about Jesus as the desire of all nations? Surely Calvin says, if anything, they have an aversion to him, don't they?

[3:59] Rather than a desire to him about him. Isn't that right? So when people bang their thumb with a hammer, they say Jesus. Not because they're worshipping him.

[4:10] It's just like Isaiah said, isn't it? In the Sermon Song. He had no been to your majesty to attract us to him. Nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

[4:21] He was despised and rejected. A man of sorrows. Acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces from. He was despised and we esteemed him not. And of course all lies true.

[4:32] We know that only too well, don't we? But how many people really know what they want? How many people in your workplace, in your family, know really what they want?

[4:46] Paul went to Athens. Do you remember the story in the New Testament? He goes to Acts 17. When he arrives in the big city, the big cultural city. The intellectual capital of the world. What did he find in Athens as he wandered about in Acts 17?

[4:59] He said, I was wandering around your beautiful city. And I noticed that you have an altar to the unknown God. It comes up, doesn't it? Pretty much every Christmas or around this time.

[5:10] Some scientists or pseudo-scientists will say that they have discovered the God spot in the brain. To explain away the phenomenon of religion. That they can explain away this kind of God particle.

[5:22] Because religion is a universal phenomenon. Human beings are religious beings. It doesn't matter where you go in the world. You will find some equivalent of an altar to the unknown God.

[5:35] Whether you're in Afghanistan. Whether you're in wherever you are. You'll find that. People have this sort of instinct. Wherever you go. Whatever culture you belong to. Whatever ethnic group you are in.

[5:47] People have this instinct that there is a God. And we don't know him. And we are not right with him. So we have to build not a monument. But we have to build an altar to the unknown God.

[6:00] We have to somehow get right with this God that we don't know. And that is a universal phenomenon. Mankind everywhere. No matter where you're from. You can go right through history.

[6:12] Even to today. In the 21st century. So they do the stats, don't they? They say in the UK. Over 80% of people still believe in God. In this very secular land about us.

[6:24] Mankind has this desire to know God. And to be right with God. Whenever you meet an atheist. Ask them this question. Do you pray? Ask them that question.

[6:36] Do they pray? And of course they'll say to you no. Let me tell you. When you go and visit them in hospital. And you say do they pray. They'll admit it. Mankind has this desire to know God.

[6:47] And to be right with God. Hence this altered the unknown God. And Paul says let me tell you about this God. Let me tell you about this God. Who you don't know. And he talks about Jesus and the resurrection. In Acts 17.

[6:59] And he gets interrupted. They didn't want to hear it. But they still have that instinct. This is what B.B. Warfield says. He says this. Christianity does not stand.

[7:10] In an exclusively antithetical relationship to other. Relationship. In religions. There is a high and true sense. In which Christianity is their fulfillment.

[7:22] All that enters into the essence of religion. Is present in them. Although in a less pure form. They too. And this is true of all religions. They too possess the idea of God.

[7:34] The consciousness of guilt. The longing for redemption. They too possess offerings. Priesthood. Worship. Temples. Prayer. Israel's promise.

[7:46] Which Christianity possesses. Is at the same time. What all the nations want. Pascal. The great French mathematician. And philosopher. Said this. There is a God shaped hole.

[7:57] In all of us. Which only Jesus can fill. He is the one. Desired by all nations. Whether they are willing. To acknowledge it or not. Shall we remember what Paul says.

[8:09] In Romans 1. He says. It's not that they don't know the truth. It's not that you don't know the truth. It's that you put a lid on it. You suppress it. What can be known about God.

[8:19] Is plainly revealed. For all to see. It's in the universe. That God has made. It's in the way that he's put us together. And it's not that people don't know. It's just that they don't want to know. So they put a lid on it.

[8:29] And they suppress the truth. But do you see what God says. Through the prophet Haggai. He says. Doesn't he. In the middle of verse 6. I'm going to do something about it. He says. In a little while. I will shake the heavens.

[8:40] And the earth. I'm going to shake the nations. Like he would shake a great tree. So that the fruit would fall out of it. God is going to do that. And that is what he's promising to do. He's going to shake the nations.

[8:51] To get people ready to receive Jesus. Now that is a very strange combination. Isn't it? He's going to shake the nations. To get people ready to receive Jesus.

[9:02] In a little while. God says. I will shake the nations. And not the destroyer will come. But the desired will come. The desire of all nations.

[9:15] Will come. And he'll come not to bring judgment. On the nations. For their rebellion. He will come to bear the judgment. That the nations will deserve. Because of their rebellion. And that's the wonderful thing.

[9:27] When he came. He said. I haven't come to judge the world. But to save the world. In a little while.

[9:38] Hang on in there. I'm having a saying. In a little while. Hang on in there. To these people. That have come by. Who have come back from exile. What you're doing. Is not a complete waste of time. It may not compare.

[9:50] With the former glory. Of Solomon's temple. But you just keep at it. You hang on in there. Christians. Because in a little while. God is going to do something remarkable. Something that will make your hair stand on end.

[10:01] He's going to shake the nations. So that the desire of all nations. Will come. Matthew Henry says this. He shall come as the desire of all nations. Desirable to all nations. For in him.

[10:12] All the nations of the earth. Will be blessed. With the best of blessings. Long expected. And desired. By all believers. Now.

[10:24] Don't confuse. Don't confuse Jesus. And start Christmas. Don't do that. Jesus is. Jesus is not. Santa Claus. Is he? He's not some cosmic. Wish machine. Who comes mechanically.

[10:35] To dispense. All the gifts. Of the world. He's not that. That is the way. People think. Isn't it? But that isn't what the prophecy is saying. People get confused.

[10:45] So people say. Don't they. If I were. If I were God. I'd put an end to war. Miss world. If I were God. What do you want? I want. Peace. This year. If I were God. I'd end all hunger.

[10:56] And it is an implied criticism. If I were God. That is. What I would do is. Dot dot dot. So why hasn't he done it? Why doesn't God do what I want?

[11:09] Why doesn't God get me a job? Why doesn't God find me a wife or a husband? Why doesn't he give me more money? Why doesn't God heal all my sick relatives? Why doesn't God kill all the terrorists?

[11:19] Why doesn't God remove corruption? Why doesn't he remove all evil from the world? Well it's a good job he doesn't. Isn't it? Because you would be gone. And so would I.

[11:31] John Chapman. The Australian evangelist. Used to say. If God is putting out the garbage. You better make sure you're not in the bin. It's a good life. Isn't it? Good job he allows the wheat and the tares to grow together.

[11:45] Isn't it? Because we would all be in trouble. There'd be nobody left. No. He does what we need.

[11:58] He does what we need. Sometimes it's as if we want the world just to remain the same. Isn't it? To remain pretty much the way it is. But with good just kind of providing band-aid solutions.

[12:12] Putting plasters on. To all the problems we face. We want God to pretty much leave us alone. So we can get on with our lives. And give us what we want. When we want it. But that is not how it works.

[12:23] And that's not what the prophecy is about. Now I want to go to two passages in the New Testament. To try and apply this. And then to make a couple of applications. So let's go to Hebrews chapter 12.

[12:33] Because this passage is taken up twice in the New Testament. At least twice. Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12. And verses 26 to 28. And you'll see it.

[12:47] So page 1009. Hebrews chapter 12. Verse 26. At that time his voice.

[12:57] God's voice of the earth. But now he's promised. Yet once more. I will shake not only the earth. But also the heavens. This phrase. Yet once more. Indicates the removal of things that are shaken.

[13:08] That is things that have not been. That have been made. In order that the things that cannot be shaken. May remain. Therefore let us be grateful. For receiving a kingdom. That cannot be shaken.

[13:19] And thus let us offer to God. Acceptable worship. With reverence and awe. Everything must be shaken. The writer to the Hebrews says. Because why? Well we know.

[13:30] Don't we? Part of the reason why I want to preach this tonight. Is because it follows so and so well. From Revelation. Because Jesus is coming to renew everything. Jesus is not coming to patch things up.

[13:41] He's not coming to cleverly rearrange the furniture. He's not coming to make cosmetic changes. Technology is so complicated. As I've stayed in a house this weekend. Where they kind of have been apple-fied.

[13:54] Some of you have been that. You have the phone. The iPad. The Mac. The MacBook. The whole lot. The whole range. And you can sync. Them all. Can't you?

[14:04] On various devices. Around the house. And press a button. And it starts playing music. In the bar. Or something. Just ridiculous like that. But on those devices. If you turn them over.

[14:14] There's a reset button. Isn't there? And if you press that reset button. It resets. The device that you have. To the factory settings.

[14:26] And I don't know about you. On my phone or anything like that. When you see that button. You're very afraid of that button. Because it means that. If we press the reset button. On our laptop. Or on our mobile phone. It resets everything.

[14:37] We lose everything. Now what this prophecy is saying. Is this. That when Jesus comes again. He's going to press the reset button. He's going to restore things.

[14:48] To the factory settings. He's going to restore the original settings. Of the cosmos. He's going to give us back the world. As it was meant to be.

[15:00] It's going to be united under his rule. So we're in Advent. Always great excitement. In children's home. We have Advent calendars. And we talk about the Advent season. That leads up to Christmas.

[15:12] But if you look at the liturgy of the C of E. The Book of Common Prayer. It's not really about the first coming of Jesus. It's about the second coming of Jesus. And that's what the meaning of Advent is.

[15:22] It's a reminder that this baby Jesus. Is coming back. And when he comes back. He's going to shake the heavens and the earth. And there's going to be a great big shaking down. And he's going to press the reset button.

[15:34] And there will be a new heavens. And a new earth. And things will be as they were meant to be. With God living amongst us. Now we know. We saw last week. That's where the Bible ends.

[15:45] So let's go to the next place. It's quoted. Revelation chapter 21. And verse 22 to 24. It's on page 1041.

[15:58] Revelation 22. 21. Verse 22. And I saw no temple in the city. For its temple is the Lord God. The Almighty. And the Lamb. The city has no need of sun or moon.

[16:09] To shine on it. For the glory of God gives its light. And its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk. And then here's the prophecy. From Haggai. And the kings of the earth. Will bring their glory into it.

[16:23] So let's go back to Haggai. Think about that for a minute. God is saying. God is saying to these people. Were so depressed. They've been in exile. They're back in the land.

[16:33] They're building this little temple. It is pathetic. It's a little piddly temple. Compared to Solomon's temple. And God says. In a little while. I'm going to shake the nations. And the wealth of the nations.

[16:44] And the treasure of the nations. Will come in. I'm going to build something so big. It's going to make Solomon's temple. Look like a doll's house. And the glory of that temple. Well you want.

[16:55] You can't compare. You can't compare Solomon's temple to it. It will be so great. And here it is on the last page of the Bible. I saw it John. Says. I saw it. And there was no temple. Because it's all temple.

[17:07] It's the perfect cube. Isn't it? That's what we saw last week. It's the shape of the temple. It's paved with gold. Like Solomon's temple. But here's a temple.

[17:17] Which out glories Solomon's temple. Look at verse 25. And its gates will never shut by day. And there'll be no night there. They will bring into it. The glory and the honour of the nations. Hang on again. But nothing unclean will ever enter it.

[17:30] Nor anyone who does what is detestable or false. But only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. As I've said it a couple of times recently. And I. But I hope I'm not going to heaven when I die.

[17:41] Because heaven is not my home. Neither is it yours. I hope I'm not going to heaven. And I hope you're not either. Because you are selling yourself short if you do.

[17:53] If you die before Jesus comes back again. Well you may go to heaven. But all it is is the transit lounge. Isn't it? That's all it is. All it is is the hospital waiting room. The airport waiting room.

[18:07] It's while you wait for your final destination. Heaven. That is not the end. It is the transit lounge. Heaven comes to earth. And so what happens you see.

[18:18] Is that the desire of all the nations. The one who is desirable to all nations. He is the light of this place. And whatever greatness you see in this world's day. Whatever humanity has achieved.

[18:29] Will be so much more heightened. And enhanced. When Jesus returns. So the music that you play. All the research you've done.

[18:40] All the things you've enjoyed. It's not going to disappear. None of it is wasted. The treasures of the nations. Art. Architecture. Culture. We're not going to sit on a cloud trying at heart.

[18:53] We're going to be in a city. Full of the most marvellous. Architecture. But a garden city. That we saw last week. Where the fruit of the tree is for the healing of the nations.

[19:04] And there's no more conflict. And no more war. No more genocide. It's a wonderful huge vision. Isn't it? And best of all. Everything that is shameful.

[19:16] Everything that is corrupt. Everything that is unjust. Everything that is painful. Or just plain evil. Will be abolished. It is. Isn't it? A huge.

[19:27] Huge message. We've got for the world. This Christmas time. It is cosmic. This dimension. This Christmas. In a little while. I'm going to shake the nations.

[19:37] And the desire of all the nations. Will come. All the wealth. And the treasure. Of all nations. Will come. Whichever translation you use. It fits. Now let me try and apply two things.

[19:50] As I close. Two things. First of all. Think about what is happening in the world right now. Think about what is happening in the world right now.

[20:01] Tell me that God isn't shaking the nations. Think about what is happening on the political scene. There are nations in an upheaval. The central African republic.

[20:14] Syria. Egypt. You could go on and on and on. Couldn't you? Do you? So when Paul did good weapons there in Acts 17. What he said to them.

[20:26] He draws attention to the fact. That there is an altar to the unknown God in their city. And he says. Let me tell you about this unknown God. You don't know. You don't know him. And you don't know how to get right with him.

[20:37] But one of the things that he said to them. In Acts 17 verse 26. He says. From one man. God made every nation of men. That they should inhabit the earth. They should fill the earth.

[20:47] And he determined. For them. The times set for them. And the exact places where they should live. And God did that.

[20:58] So that they should seek him. And perhaps reach out for him. And find him. For he is not far from every one of us. In him we live.

[21:11] And move. And have our being. And all that is happening in the world today isn't it? The Arab nations ripping themselves apart.

[21:21] Jihadists. Remember Communists? Communism is it. When Communism fell. In the late 80s. Regimes came down like a pack of cards. Why is that?

[21:33] It is the sovereign God. Who is shaking the nations. And why is he doing that? Why is God sovereignly active in history of the affairs of men and nations?

[21:45] Why is he active in the affairs of men and nations? Why is it so that people might perhaps reach out for him? And find him. And so that is one of the things that we really pray for us now.

[21:58] About the suffering church. And I think sometimes we miss that. Syria. Egypt. It is the sovereign God who is shaking those nations.

[22:14] It is the sovereign God. We serve a living God who is in absolute control. And there is nothing that is outside of his control. And he does.

[22:24] He shakes things on the political scene. On the international scene. So that people will desire Jesus. And that is what it is all about. It is as simple as that. You can read learned tones.

[22:36] Can't you? On why the world is as it is. Why it is so unsettled. The world affairs that may be very interesting. And very valuable in their place. But when it comes down to it. What is happening is that God is shaking the nations.

[22:49] To bring people to Jesus. And you and I are part of that. We are in on that. Think back to 2010. I was reading this on the plane on the way up.

[23:00] To have it in this week. Think of the global financial crisis in the last five years. It was written in 2010. And we are very grateful that things are better now. But listen to this. On the 29th of September.

[23:12] When the New York Stock Exchange opened. The Dow fell off a cliff. Plunging 777 points. For it is largest recorded drop in history. Share prices continued to tumble within seven months.

[23:24] By the end of 2010. Foreclosures and repossessed mortgages. Reached 6 million. With another projected 9 million over the next three years. The US national debt almost doubled.

[23:36] Unfortunately. The sense of crisis didn't dissipate over the following months. As more corporate dominoes fell. Iconic names in the business world. Signalling financial distress.

[23:46] General Motors. Chrysler. Both filed for bankruptcy. Investment banks like Morgan Stanley. Looked for merger partners. US unemployment spoiled. Blowing out by an additional 7.5 million people.

[23:59] That wasn't the end of it. The global cost of this debacle. Led to the default of Iceland. Panic throughout the Eurozone. A bank sell off in the UK. A massive slowdown in China. The collapse of hundreds of financial institutions around the world.

[24:13] Trillions of dollars of losses. And at least 30 million workers laid off in different countries. And so it goes on. And so it goes on. What is happening? People say money talks.

[24:26] Don't they? Well listen to the money for a minute. Listen to the money. What's it saying? It's saying this. You are a fool. If you build your hopes and dreams.

[24:36] On the stuff of exchange. Or on bonds. Or security. Or savings. Because there's nothing secure about securities.

[24:48] The Puritan Thomas Mountain wrote. If you're going to build your nest in any of these trees. You better realise that the whole forest is going to come down. This world is passing away.

[25:03] And a search for value and security and certainty. But if you want those things. You need to look beyond the institutions of this world. God is shaking these things for a reason.

[25:17] So that we might desire Jesus. Don't put your confidence in things that can be destroyed. I think that's a very very helpful way. Of reading the newspapers. And looking out at the world.

[25:29] All these shocks and tremors. They are warning us. The big one is still to come. And the question is. Are you ready for it? God is shaking the nation.

[25:40] And these are not the death throes. Are they? Don't think I'm saying that. They are the birth pangs. They are the birth pangs of what God is going to bring in. And that is what Hebrews 12 says. He's going to shake the nations.

[25:51] But we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. In all that is going on in our lives. God is actually doing something. He's bringing in a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let me speak to you personally.

[26:04] Let me apply it in that way. Forget about what is happening out there. In other nations for a minute. What is happening in your own life. The writer to the Hebrews.

[26:16] He cites this prophecy of Haggai. And explains it like this. Look at Hebrews chapter 12. Verse 26 and 27. What is God doing? Hebrews 12. 26 and 27.

[26:30] What is he doing when he shakes all these things? God is removing what can be shaken. So what cannot be shaken may remain.

[26:46] That's very good, isn't it, for you and I? It's good for you and I to understand that. When we get shaken around a bit. By God. And you will. If you haven't been already. You will at some point. It's good to understand that.

[26:59] When God does something in the circumstances of your life. And you couldn't see it happening. And you didn't want it to happen. And you didn't know it was going to happen.

[27:10] And if you had seen it coming. You would have panicked. And yet God in his sovereignty. Allowed you to be shaken around. Why? Why does God allow that to happen?

[27:22] Because he is removing what can be shaken. So that what cannot be shaken may remain. Think about that for a moment. Sometimes God allows things into your life.

[27:34] And he is shaking you. He's saying, look. Do you realise in a little while. The things you are living for will be no more. The things that you are putting your trust in.

[27:46] And your confidence in. And trying to seek your security in. And your sense of who you are. They are passing away. So make sure that you are in that kingdom.

[27:57] Which cannot be shaken. Make sure that you desire Jesus. We know it don't we. When we hear one another speak of our testimonies. About how we came to know the Lord Jesus.

[28:09] You don't hear people say things. Ah things were going really well for me. So I thought I'd become a Christian. You don't hear that. I haven't heard that. It's the other way around isn't it normally.

[28:21] It's usually a crisis. It's usually something has gone wrong. And God has shaken them. And God has shaken them up. And the result of it has not been to destroy them.

[28:34] But so that they might desire Jesus. It's lovely to see that. That's what happened to Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 6 isn't it. That famous passage. In the year that King Uzziah died.

[28:45] King Uzziah's reign had been a great reign of stability. For Israel and Judah. Uzziah had been on the throne for 50 years. They'd never known another king. And in the year that King Uzziah died.

[28:55] There was national mourning. And Isaiah goes into the temple there in Jerusalem. And he says I saw the Lord. John tells us in John 12 41. What he saw was Jesus. So in the year that King Uzziah died.

[29:08] I saw the Lord high and lifted up. Surrounded by the angels. Crying out to one another. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Jesus. Look how holy he is. The whole earth is full of his glory.

[29:19] And John says it was Jesus that he encountered in the temple. It was Jesus that he saw. And what did Isaiah say? Did he say wow? No he didn't. He said whoa. He said I'm undone.

[29:31] Literally I'm shattered to pieces. I'm unmade. And that is what God does. To become a Christian is quite a painful thing. It is a shocking thing. Because what God has to do.

[29:43] He has to do it to me. He has to do it to you. He has to shake us to pieces. In order to put us back together again. And he has to do that. What am I trusting? What am I spending my money on?

[29:56] What am I investing in? And God shakes us down to the point where we say. Whom have I in heaven but you? And the earth has nothing I desire besides you.

[30:09] And that takes us a lifetime to learn, doesn't it? And that is where the Haggai prophecy points us to. To desire him above everything else. It is a signpost pointing to Jesus. So let me just come back to Haggai as I finish.

[30:20] Here are other people. They have come out of exile. They have been sent to years in Babylon. And some of the older people. They still remember the good old days of Solomon's Temple. It was one of the wonders of the ancient world.

[30:31] It was built with precious metals. All sorts of the finest material from all over the world. The Queen of Sheba came and said. The half has not been told me of this. It is amazing. It is mind blowing.

[30:42] And now they are building such a piddling little thing compared to that. And for us, goodness sake, we meet in a school hall. Don't we? On Sunday morning. Sunday nights, you know, it is not exactly a palace, is it?

[30:59] It is not a cathedral. And what they were building, Harrod's Temple, was pretty glorious. But it was nothing compared to Solomon's Temple. But God says keep going, doesn't he?

[31:13] Work. Keep going. Instead of looking back to Solomon's Temple, look forward. Look forward to the Temple that is going to come. Instead of looking back at what God has done in the past, look ahead.

[31:24] There is going to be something more glorious that is going to happen than you have ever seen before. You thought Solomon's Temple was glorious? Or wait till you see Jesus? Wait till you see Jesus.

[31:36] The Word was made flesh. Who tabernackled. Who templed amongst us. And we beheld his glory. The glory of the one and only God. Full of grace and truth. We beheld his glory. And Haggai says the glory of the latter house that you are building will be greater than the glory of the former house.

[31:52] And what you are busying yourself with now is only a signpost. Forget about the peeling paint on the side. Forget about that the data projector doesn't often work.

[32:06] Forget about that our meetings don't run all that smoothly. This is just a signpost. The paint may be peeling off. But look to where the signpost is pointing to Jesus.

[32:21] Remember in John 2 we are told. John 2.19 Jesus said to the religious establishment. In all their finery. With all their garb on. And they come and they demand that he perform a miraculous sign. To prove his authority to them.

[32:33] And Jesus says okay. Okay. I'll give you a sign. Destroy this temple. And I'll raise it again in three days. And the Jews reply. You idiot.

[32:43] It's taken 46 years to build this temple. You may be the son of a carpenter. But you're not going to be able to build a temple in three days. John says that the temple that he was speaking about was his own body.

[32:57] After all he was raised from the dead. And after that the disciples recalled what he said. Call this a temple. You should have seen Solomon's temple.

[33:10] Ah. Wait until you see Jesus. Now we might not think what we're doing in this church is very much. But you know what God is doing is he's building his temple.

[33:22] And he has come to live amongst us. And the Apostle Peter says. You are a living temple in the Lord. You are living stones.

[33:34] Being built up. You with your ethnic background. You with your culture. You with your lack of culture. You from all over the world.

[33:45] God is building you up together. And the wealth of all the nations is coming. God is using you. And building you up together. To be a living temple. And he's going to live amongst you.

[33:56] And his glory is going to be found here. What else would you want to be part of? What compares to that? How exciting is that? That is the world we all want.

[34:06] Isn't it? This prophecy is so rich. I could spend hours on it. Probably feels like I could spend hours on it. But it points us. Beyond the birth and the life of Jesus. It points us beyond the death of Jesus.

[34:18] And the resurrection of Jesus. It points us to the end of the age. Where Jesus will return. And it reminds you and I. That we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And God is bringing in through Jesus.

[34:31] The world that we all want. Try to imagine that. Everything good. Everything great. Everything beautiful. That will be heightened and enhanced. Whatever is shameful.

[34:44] Painful. Or just plain removed. Let me end with this quote. Christopher Ash puts it like this. Christopher Wright puts it like this. Think of the prospect. All human culture.

[34:56] Language. Literature. Art. Music. Science. Business. Sport. Technological achievement. And potential. All available to us. All of it with the poison of sin.

[35:08] And evil sucked out of it forever. Isn't that the world we all want? All of it glorifying God. All of it under his loving and approving smile. All of it for us to enjoy with God.

[35:21] And indeed being enjoyed by God. And all eternity for us to explore it. Understand it. Appreciate it. And expand it. If this is the new creation the Bible promises.

[35:32] You can understand. Why I don't just want to go to heaven when I die. Who wants just heaven? When God promises the new heavens.

[35:44]  And the new earth. Let's sing.