Real Comfort

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Psalm 47:1-9
• Hymn — We Praise You, O God, Our Redeemer
• Prayer of Invocation
• Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
• Confession of Sin
• Assurance of Pardon — 2 Corinthians 5:21
• Confession of Faith — Apostles' Creed
• Pastoral Prayer
• Offering
• Hymn — Abide with Me
• Sermon
• Prayer of Preparation for the Lord's Supper
• Hymn — Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me (stanzas 1–2)
• Lord's Supper
• Hymn — Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me (stanzas 3–4)
• Benediction

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Sermon Title: Real Comfort

Scripture: Daniel 12:1-3

I. The Comfort of Heavenly Protection

A. Context: verse 1 refers back to the time of Antichrist at the end of chapter 11, when the covenant people face intense persecution

• The vision seems paradoxical: defeat on earth, yet victory in heaven for God's people
• Michael, the great prince, leads the heavenly host in protecting the people of God

B. Protection is grounded in election — those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life are kept secure regardless of earthly suffering

• Luke 10:17-20 — Jesus tells the 72 not to rejoice that spirits are subject to them, but that their names are written in heaven
• Matthew 7:21-23 — "Depart from me, I never knew you" warns against false confidence in works rather than true relationship with Christ

C. "Nothing shall hurt you" does not mean freedom from physical suffering

• The apostles suffered greatly; most were martyred
• Romans 8:35-39 — Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus
• Illustration: a pastor who lost his son stood at the pulpit and recited Romans 8 alone; another pastor whose 16-year-old died gave a graveside benediction (Numbers 6:24-26) with a guttural cry — both exemplify heavenly protection amid earthly pain

D. Satan's true victory over Job would have been to make him curse God and die eternally — not merely to cause suffering

• The beasts of this earth can kill the body but cannot touch the soul protected by the heavenly host

II. The Comfort of Bodily Resurrection

A. Daniel 12:2 contains the first explicit use of the phrase "everlasting life" in the Old Testament, refuting critical scholars who deny bodily resurrection in the Old Testament

B. This general resurrection is expounded by Christ in John 5:28-29 — all in the tombs will hear his voice; some rise to life, some to judgment

C. In Daniel's immediate context, the focus is on the covenant people

1. Many Israelites compromised under Antiochus Epiphanes and became Hellenized
2. Similarly, in the last days some in the church will compromise with Antichrist and apostatize — rising to everlasting death
3. Those who conquer to the end (Revelation) will rise to everlasting life

D. The word "dust" in verse 2 echoes Genesis 3:19 — "You are dust and to dust you shall return"

• The capstone curse of the fall haunts all of fallen humanity
• Romans 5 — death came to all through one man's trespass

E. Death is the final enemy, destroyed at the bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15)

• Christ's resurrection is the firstfruits of the resurrection harvest
• His one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for the new humanity bound up in the last Adam
• The Spirit planted in our hearts now will reach full bloom when we are raised body and soul on the last day

F. Sunday worship reflects new creation — we gather on the first day of the week because the eschaton has broken into the present with Christ's resurrection

• Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 1: our only comfort in life and in death is that we belong, body and soul, to our Lord Jesus Christ

III. The Comfort of the Church Militant

A. Daniel 12:3 — the wise shine like the brightness of the sky; those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever

• In the midst of the final conflict between Christ's people and Antichrist's people, some will not bow the knee to evil
• Their shining is not merely personal wisdom but the sharing of that hope and good news with others

B. Two dimensions of those who lead in righteousness

1. Institutional: ordained shepherds, elders, and leaders who feed and guard the flock — contrasted with the failed shepherds of Israel whose neglect sent the nation into exile (Ezekiel)
2. Interpersonal: members of the body encouraging one another, sharing the light of Christ as they see the day drawing near

C. The neglect of Christian friendship as a blind spot in American Christianity

• John Chrysostom (the "Golden Tongue"): true friendship means helping one another spiritually and hindering what leads friends to hell
• Paul in 2 Timothy 4 longs for Timothy's presence for mutual encouragement — because his life is on the line
• Jesus desired Peter, James, and John at Gethsemane because hell was pressing in and he wanted friends in faith nearby
• Comfortable Christianity in the Bible Belt can breed a blind spot to our need for one another

D. The corporate assembly is the starting point for mutual edification

• Colossians 3:16 — singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs is how we teach and admonish one another in all wisdom
• Corporate worship is not only individual soul-feeding; active participation teaches and encourages those to our left and right
• Hebrews 10:24-25 — stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, all the more as you see the day drawing near

E. Application: We are in the last hour; many antichrists are already in the world

• We need one another as friends in Christ
• We come to the Lord's Table to feed on our greatest friend, Jesus, who lays down his life for his friends (John 15:13-15)