Revelation Part 11a
Revelation • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsThe highest priority of all of creation is to worship the slain Lamb of God.
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Pre-Introduction: Who was worthy to approach the Throne of God? None? The only one worthy to approach the throne is the One who can bring the unworthy to the throne.
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Introduction:
My favorite all time movie is Forest Gump. It’s a movie that no matter how hard I try, I know at some point in the movie I am going to start crying. I know I am going to lose it.
I am always interested in what makes a statement go viral. Two years ago a party in the Bahamas goes Viral called the Fyre Festival which turned out to be a complete con.
This last time we watched this movie I lost it at the very end of the movie. Forest is bedside his wife, Jenny his childhood sweetheart and she is dying. She is dying because of her own mistakes but Forest loves her despite all of her past. She asks if he was scared in Vietnam, He says “yes” but then he starts to recount the beauty that was there, the beauty of shrimping in LA, the beauty of the mountains and sunrises when he was running and she says, “I wish I could have been there with you” and he says to her “you were.” The scene faded and there is Forest at Jenny’s grave and he says, “You died on a Saturday morning. And I had you placed here under our tree. And I had that house of your father's bulldozed to the ground. Momma always said dyin' was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn't.” Right there, I lost it.
You may think I am trying to weigh in to the current political drama but I am not. What amazes me is that an eight word statement by a somewhat popular Jewish radio host could go viral and create a range of reactions from American to Europe to even Israel to just one eight word statement.
What gets me every-time at this scene is That overwhelming sense of love, of what love will do for another person in life and even beyond life.
Have you experienced God’s love in your life as an overwhelming experience? If you are a mom or dad maybe you felt it when your children were born after the months of pregnancy and hard hours of labors there is this beautiful child, a gift from God. If you are a husband or wife maybe it was when you stood under the chuppa or at the altar and said, “I do.” If you are a student maybe it was at a summer camp or when God came through for you on that application to college or to school.
The story of Forest Gump is heart gripping because know matter the person, know matter how nice or how rude, Forest’s love just will not stop, no matter the defiance or rejection, His love just will not stop. The characters in the movie are often confused, abused, single-minded, thinking they are going the right way in life but often going the wrong way. Characters who are overwhelmed by an experience of love and left asking “Why?” Why would you wait, care, come-back for me?
Something very similar is happening at the throne of God right now. Angelic beings, cherubim, seraphim, all of the created order are celebrating an experience of love in the face of God’s overwhelming holiness and majesty. The Throne of God is now an experience of love that is threatening to the self-righteous but inviting to the unrighteous. People who are nothing like this Holy God, people who are not worthy are accepted, loved, and protected by this Holy God. This experience of love shows that God is not at all uncomfortable having his throne surrounded by a redeemed cast of characters that are confused, abused, single-minded, who think they are going the right direction in life but they are not.
In essence, John is taking out prime time advertising during the Super-bowl or World Series so that people neither then nor now nor in the future will ever forget the greatest priority of all of heaven at God’s throne. What is that highest priority? The highest priority of all of the non-human created order is to give glory to the Lamb of God..
The world is full of a cast of characters that are confused, abused, single-minded, sinners, unrighteous and unwanted. They feel like, the know they are not worthy to approach this throne. They feel the weight of their mistakes, sin, and failures and know that they are not wort
He creates an experience of love that is so monumental that all of heaven changes its tune, literally changes it’s song. , At that very moment, God the Father, established an important precedent: The throne of the Holy God will always and forever be and expression of the Grace of God in Yeshua.
There is a question we must answer, “So what? All of heaven is giving glory to the Lamb but I got some pressing issues here on earth.” Okay, I get it Forest Gump is fictional and a bit idealistic. And, sometimes this whole religious imagery can also seem fictional or only user friendly to the ultra-religious or those looking for an escape from reality. .
Let the angels sing His praise, I have things I have to get done? Let the cosmos sing and sing, I have got bills to pay, credit debt I am ashamed of, I don’t live in the area I want, my kids are amazing but I did not know being parent would be this hard, I can’t fit into my skinny jeans anymore, I get that giving glory to God should be my highest priority but if I am being honest right now I got a few things that are pretty pressing if not definitely competing.
Are you telling me that when bad things happen to good people I am just supposed to start singing His praise? Really?
Are you telling me that when I am caught in the middle of a fierce emotional storm just shout Hallelujah and it all gets better? Really?
Are you telling when my heart is broken by a false start, or when I keep getting passed over for a promotion, or forced to resign from my job I am just supposed to forget everything and worship the Lamb? Really?
This question is an important question because when it is answered it might just be the key to experiencing the overwhelming love of God.
The Need for the Lamb - Apart from the lamb of God, God’s purposes for salvation and judgment would not come to pass. We would not know what real love is.
Who is worthy to Open the Scroll?
The Scroll -
And I saw in the right hand of the One seated upon the throne a scroll, written on both the front and the back, sealed with seven seals.
The Challenge -
I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?”
The Search -
No one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it.
The Tears -
I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
Only the Lamb of God is Worthy!
The Fruit and the Root -
Then one of the elders tells me, “Stop weeping! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed—He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
The One Who Died and Is Alive -
And in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as having been slain—having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
The God-Man -
And in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as having been slain—having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
The Sufferer and the Sovereign -
He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne.
Restate: John’s vision is communicating to us within the drama of apocalyptic vision. He is saying that none of the pseudo-saviors of this world are not worthy to carry out God’s purposes in salvation and judgment. None of the emperors, none of the angelic hosts, none of the so-called gods of this world, none of the things that man thinks he can trust in. All have fallen short of the glory of God accept the suffering Lamb. The Lamb who died is worthy to carry out God’s redemptive purpose. The sign of our victory, of the One who is worthy is the Lamb who is dead but alive.
Illustration: This was an important message for John’s audience. We are all tempted to think that the path to what we need most comes through more money, more power, more influence.
In C. S. Lewis’s children’s book The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, one of the main characters is a young boy named Eustace Scrubb. Eustace clearly had a lust for power, but he expressed it in the mean, petty ways that only a schoolboy could, in teasing, torturing animals, tattling, and ingratiating adult authorities.
One night Eustace found an enormous pile of treasure in a cave. He was elated and began to imagine the life of ease and power he would now have. When he woke, however, to his horror, he had turned into a hideous dragon. “Sleeping on a dragon’s hoard with greedy, dragonish thoughts in his heart, he had become a dragon himself.”
Becoming a dragon was a “cosmic natural consequence.” Because he thought like a dragon, he had become a dragon. When we set our hearts on power, we become hardened predators. We become like what we worship.
Eustace was now an enormously powerful being, far more powerful than he had ever dreamed, but he was also fearful, hideous, and completely lonely. This, of course, is what power for its own sake does to us. The shock of his transformation humbled Eustace and he longed to be a normal boy again. As his pride faded, the idolatry in his heart began to be healed. One night Eustace the dragon met a mysterious lion. The lion challenged him to “undress,” to try to take off his dragon skin. He managed to peel off a layer, but found he was still a dragon underneath. He tried repeatedly but made no further progress. The lion finally said:
“You will have to let me undress you.” I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it. The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I’ve ever felt. . . . Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off—just as I thought I’d done it myself the other three times, only they hadn’t hurt—and there it was lying on the the grass: only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobbly-looking than the others had been. And there was I as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been. . . . I’d turned into a boy again.” - Lewis pp. 108-09
Keller, Timothy. Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters (pp. 122-123). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Keller, Timothy. Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters (p. 123). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Application: The lion of the fairy tale, Aslan, represents Messiah, and the story bears witness to what all followers of Yeshua have discovered, that sin leads to death, to breakdown, to a loss of humanity. That we all have fallen short of the glory of God. But if you let that truth humble you rather than embitter you, and turn to Yeshua instead of seeking self salvation through money, fame, or notoriety or by trusting in someone or something else to save you, then what you find is the grace to heal you.
Yeshua’s example and grace re-orients the motivational core of our hearts. The normal response to our sense of powerlessness is to deny it, to find people to dominate and control in order to live in that denial. But Yeshua shows us another way. By giving up his power as the greater son of David, the God man, the Sovereign One and dying, he became the most influential man who ever lived.
Yeshua is not only an example, however, he is a Savior. He is called the Lion and the Root but he is seen as the suffering Lamb. This tells us something that Only by admitting our sin, need, and powerlessness, and by casting ourselves on his mercy, will we finally become secure in His love, and therefore empowered in a way that does not lead us to oppress others. The insecurity is gone, the lust for power is cut at the root. As one of my favorite songs says, “Here I stand high in surrender, I need you now. Hold my heart now and forever, my soul cries out.”
Keller, Timothy. Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters (pp. 124-125). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
The Praise of the Lamb -All of Heaven Praises the Power of the Slain Lamb
The Praise of the Lamb - The Lamb of God is coronated as Heaven’s King.
The Song of at the Throne Changes -
And they are singing a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals. For You were slain, and by Your blood You redeemed for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
You have made them for our God a kingdom and kohanim, and they shall reign upon the earth.”
The Seven-fold Blessing of the Angelic Order Changes -
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders—their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.
They were chanting with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
They were chanting with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
The Four-Fold Blessing of the rest of non-human creation Changes -
And I heard every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea and everything in them, responding, “To the One seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and power forever and ever!”
And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
Restate: All of creation is celebrating the enthronement of the suffering Lamb. All of the created order has changed its song its a new song. A song that celebrates the new access into the throne of God. Before the song was “holy, holy, holy” but now the song is “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.” Before there were none found worthy to come to the throne but now the unworthy, the unrighteous, the hurting, the refugee, the outcast, the prodigal sons are filling up the halls of this great room.
All of creation is celebrating the enthronement of the suffering Lamb. The core message of the Gospel, of Yom Kippur, is that the way God becomes King is by suffering and dying. This is what heaven celebrates and when it is know and celebrate heaven knows it can change anyone from any tribe but where it is abused or eschewed it can devestate the sould.
I have been in ministry now over 20 years of my life and I have met many a man who, before professing faith in Messiah, were notorious womanizers. They would have a pattern to seduce a woman and, once having sex with her, lose interest and move on.
They they embrace Messiah and quickly renounce all sexual escapades. On the outside they look, “holy, holy, holy.”
It is the same old story. They become active in some form of ministry. But In every class or study, they are argumentative and dominating. In every meeting they have to be the leader, even if he was not designated to be so. They are abrasive and harsh with skeptics when talking to them about faith.
Eventually it became clear that they have not embraced a suffering Savior, but have found religion to be a cheap way to have power over other people. It makes them feel alive and even spiritual to be right, admired, and in control.
The reason these guys wanted to have sex with those women is the same reason they now say they serve the Lord. They want power over people. Most guys like this sleep around not because they are attracted to these women, but because they love the power of knowing they could sleep with them.. Once they achieve that power, they lost interest in them.
The reason they want to be in ministry is not because they have given up control of their lives to the suffering lamb, but because they love the power of knowing they are right, they have a market on the truth. All they have to do is convince people they are “holy holy holy.”
I know you are thinking “shame on men like that.” Yep, shame on them. But let’s be honest do you sing a new song in your heart or are just singing the same old song wrapped up in religious language?
I get it you used to be a gossip but now you just share prayer request.
I get it you used to be ignored but now you are God’s mouthpiece to others.
I get it you used to be super passive aggressive but now you are “just waiting to hear from the Lord about it.”
I get it you used to be a bully but now you are just trying keep the Kingdom pure and holy.
I get it you used to feel deeply insecure but now you are confident in the Lord and know how to keep the arrogant humble.
You see the song of all creation says, “Yeah, but are you singing a new song?” Are you really a new creation? Have you met the suffering Lamb who died for you and lives for you so that you can have new life. Or, are you just playing religion while singing the same old song?
It is a scary thought isn’t it? The thought that I might just be playing around with religion but not really singing a new song? It is scary to think that perhaps I might be part of that great throng who say, “lord, lord did I not cast out demons in your name? do miracles in your name? and he say to me, “depart from me, i never knew you.”
All of creation knows the kind of people who populate the Messiah’s kingdom.
The People of the Lamb -
The People of the Lamb -
And they are singing a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals. For You were slain, and by Your blood You redeemed for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
You have made them for our God a kingdom and kohanim, and they shall reign upon the earth.”
They Know that no one has anything to boast in but the Lamb of God. Most people are after a God they can put into their debt but this a God of grace who pays our debt and then sets us free.
The Know that racial pride and political narrowness cannot coexist with the Lamb of God. They know this is not some private individualistic God but He is the God of everyone.
They now that maximum freedom is found living under God’s authority.
Reconcilers
Conclusion
All of the created order is singing a new song but will humanity join in this new song? Or, will they just continue to sing the song they have always sung? Will they sing the songs of Babylon? the Songs of dead religion? The Songs of fake religion?
Lamb of God..
Are you telling me that when bad things happen to good people I am just supposed to start singing His praise? Yes, Really, because then maybe they can know they are not alone, that evil is real but God sent his Son to suffer and die to make sense of the evil and give us a better hope then revenge, remorse or regret.
Are you telling me that when I am caught in the middle of a fierce emotional storm just shout Hallelujah and it all gets better? Yes, Really because rather than trying to be right or powerful maybe you will seek to love as he loved.
Are you telling when my heart is broken by a false start, or when I keep getting passed over for a promotion, or forced to resign from my job I am just supposed to forget everything and worship the Lamb? Yes, Really because when you identify with the suffering Lamb of God sense can be made out of your suffering and you can encounter real love and real change.