Psalm 24, we looked at the first two verses for our Bible study, and then we looked at verses three to six for our message this morning. Let's read verses seven to 10. It says, lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord, strong and mighty. The Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? the Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory.

Now I love the thought of this announcement from heaven. And I want to preface this message, as I told you this morning, we're turning all day today. We're gonna really just, I want us to enjoy God's word this evening. And I want you to enter into it and enjoy it. I don't ever want the word to be overwhelming or, I want you to enjoy it. So what I wanna ask you to do is silently call on the Lord and ask him to help you enter into this. Because this has been such a blessing to me. I love the thought of our Lord entering into glory in all of his glory. Don't you love the thought of him high and lifted up? And this, I mean, we just clearly by what we read, this is an announcement from heaven. And the announcement is heads up, heads up, get ready. The King of glory is coming in. He's coming home from the battle. He's coming home strong and mighty. He's coming home Lord of all. Captain of his host. King of all his kingdom. He's coming back to glory in all of his glory. What a moment. What a moment. Open the gates. That's the cry. Open the gates.

Now again, what I want to do for this message is I want us to follow a very interesting and wonderful series of scripture. I want us to see this moment, all right? I want us to enter into this event. That's what the message will be tonight. Let's see if we can enjoy what the Lord has revealed to us in his word concerning this glorious moment, all right? Turn with me to John 20. John 20 beginning in verse 1. The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark unto the sepulcher and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher. Then she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and said unto them, they have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher and we know not where they have laid him.

Peter therefore went forth and that other disciple and came to the sepulcher. So they ran both together and the other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulcher. And he stooping down and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying, yet went he not in.

Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together into place by itself.

Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the sepulcher, and he saw and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture that he must rise again from the dead.

Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. But Mary stood without the sepulcher weeping. And as she wept, She stooped down and looked into the sepulcher, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain.

And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

And when she had thus said, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself and saith unto him, Rabboni, which is to say master. Jesus saith unto her, touch me not, for I'm not yet ascended to my father. But go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my father and your father and to my God and your God.

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things unto her. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst and said unto them, peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.

Our Lord had risen from his finished work of the cross and told Mary, I am about to ascend back up to my father. Go gather the disciples.

All right, now turn over a couple of pages to Acts chapter one. Verse 1 says, The former treaties have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which He was taken up, after that He, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them 40 days and speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Our Lord gathered his disciples and he showed them and he told them many things. many things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Verse nine, and when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Turn with me over to Ephesians four. Ephesians 4 verse 8 says, Wherefore, he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascended, what is it? But that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill or fulfill all things.

So our Lord arose from the dead and he was seen of his disciples. He talked with his disciples for 40 days. And then he took them to Bethany, to the Mount of Olives, and he blessed them. And he lifted himself up into the sky until a cloud received him and carried him out of their sight. And on that cloud, he went far above all heavens. The heaven of our firmament where the birds fly. That was a real physical thing that he did. The heaven of our planets and stars and solar systems. He went far above both of those to a place that we know nothing about.

Now I don't know where the end of outer space is. Some of you might. I do not know where outer space ends, but wherever that is, he went far above that. Is that not amazing?

Turn over to Mark 16. Verse 19 says, So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, heaven, not the heavens, heaven. and sat on the right hand of God, heaven. That cloud literally took him above all heavens all the way to heaven. Paul called it the third heaven. I just want us to enter into the reality of these things. Paul called it the third heaven.

Turn with me to John 6. John 6 verse 62. He said, What and if you shall see the son of man ascend up where he was before? What if you see the son of man ascend up where he was before? That's where he went. He blessed his people. He said, my work of redeeming you is finished. You are completely saved in me. My blood has put away all your sin. Now you go into all the world and you tell them the good news. I love you. He blessed his people. I love you. I'm with you always, even until the end of the world. Even though you won't be able to see me, I'm with you. You're gonna see me soon. You will see me soon.

I can only imagine that after he commanded gravity to let me go, okay, gravity, it's time, let me go. As he was rising up into the air, he was telling them, I love you. Can't you see them just, where are you going? I love you. You'll see me soon. You're gonna see me very soon. He blessed his people. And he rose up into the air and a cloud came and received him and carried him out of their sight And as they were standing there, gazing up into heaven, he passed the moon, and he passed Mars, and he passed the S-U-N, and he left the Milky Way. I can only imagine. That's all I literally can do is imagine. I can only imagine. Far above the heaven. All I can do is believe the words God has written. Far above the heavens.

All right, now, turn with me to Daniel chapter seven. It's after Ezekiel. Daniel chapter seven. Verse 9, I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool. His throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him. Thousand thousands ministered unto him and 10,000 times 10,000 stood before him. The judgment was set and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake. I beheld even till the beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

Now watch verse 13. I saw in the night visions and behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven. and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom, that which shall not be destroyed." Daniel said, God showed me something and this is what I saw. I saw King Jesus Christ approaching heaven on a cloud. And all of the dominion and the glory of the throne itself was waiting for him. And the closer he came to his arrival, the louder the announcing cry rang out. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, the King of glory is coming in.

Now go to Psalm 24. Verse 1 says, The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully, Jesus Christ. King Jesus Christ. Verse five says, he shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him. that seek thy face, O God of Jacob. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts. He is the King of Glory.

Can you not see all of heaven? not being able to contain itself, but crying repeatedly. Amen. Amen.

Oh, worship the King, all glorious above, and gratefully sing his power and love. Our shield and defender, the ancient of days, pavilioned in splendor, girded with praise. That's glorious. His glorious ascension back to his holy kingdom. Is that not glorious? Well, here's something equally as glorious, all right? I'm not gonna take you through the scriptures. Because last time I did this, it took me 45 minutes. And I'm gonna stop. But I'm gonna tell you, this is equally as glorious, okay? Just listen to this. This is what he said in John 14.

Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also. What he said is, if you see me go up, That ascension is my promise to you. I will come back and get you to receive you to myself. That where I am, you can go there too.

All right, now don't turn. Just listen, this is Acts 1. It says, he blessed them. He was taken up. Cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked up steadfastly into heaven, two men in white apparel stood by saying, you men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven. How this exact same Jesus went up, that's exactly how he's coming back down.

All right, now don't turn. Revelation 1 verse 4 says... Let me go to verse 7. Revelation 1 verse 7 says, Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him. And they also which pierced him. And 1 Thessalonians 4 says every soul that he redeemed is going to be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. and they're gonna be carried away with him, and so shall they ever be with the Lord. And every soul outside of him, all kindreds of the earth, it says in Revelation, one shall wail because of him. Even so, amen.

But he's gonna come back and get all of his people and carry them home. The glorious King, our Redeemer, who ascended up to his throne to make intercession for us, has promised us promised his purchased redeemed possession that he will come back and receive us to himself, to be with him where he is. And I will leave us here with this final word from him. Turn with me to Revelation 22. Revelation 22, verse 20. He which testifieth these things saith, surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.