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Sermon: God’s Final Declaration on Worship, Revelation 4–5

Don Ruhl

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06122016GodsFinalDeclarationOnWorshipRev4-5DonRuhl

 

God’s Final Declaration on Worship 

What does the Lord mean to you?

Revelation 4–5

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • June 12, In the year of our Lord, 2016

Scripture Reader and Reading: Phil Joseph – Psalm 89.5–7

Song Leader and Song Suggestions: Kevin Michael – Songs on worship

Prelude: 

  1. The section on the church ended with Jesus telling the Laodicean church 
    1. that He stood at the door and knocked, indicating
      1. that the door was closed and
      2. that He stood on the outside.
    2. On the other hand, look at what heaven offers.
    3. John wrote just a few sentences later,

      1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this” (Rev 4.1).
      1. Jesus opens the door of heaven to us, but
      2. we have to open our door to Him.
  2. John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day 
    1. when he received the Revelation,
    2. showing his state of mind.
      1. Then Revelation 4.2 shows that he was in the Spirit again,
      2. showing his location as he was transported to heaven,

        2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne (Rev 4.2).
        1. What then did John see?
        2. What does the Spirit want us to see?
          1. Let’s join John and find out.
          2. Open up the eyes and ears of your mind to see and hear wonders!

            3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald (Rev 4.3).
            1. It only gets better from there.
            2. Just think of what you would do,
              1. if you saw such a sight.
              2. You will see heaven doing what you would do.

Persuasion: 

  1. Worship 
    1. What does heaven do
      1. when it sees the One who appears as a jasper sitting on the throne, and
      2. when it hears magnificent things said about the One like a sardius stone?
        1. Heaven worships the gem-appearing God on the throne,
        2. falling down before Him and praising Him.
    2. Chapter 3 ended with Jesus knocking on the door of the Laodiceans.
      1. If they opened, or if we open the door,
      2. we see the wonders of worship in heaven.
        1. Unbelievers can read Revelation 4 and 5, but
        2. it will not affect them as it does you.
          1. You think about our God all the time.
          2. So when you read these chapters,
            1. you look forward to seeing Him,
            2. as heaven does, and
              1. you look forward to participating in worship Him there.
              2. Oh, Lord, hasten the day.
    3. The throne in heaven immediately caught John’s attention.
      1. After showing us the One sitting on the throne,
      2. John worked outward to show us what and who surrounded the throne:
        1. An emerald rainbow
        2. Twenty-four thrones
        3. Twenty-four elders
        4. Lightning, thunderings, and voices
        5. Seven lamps of fire
        6. A sea of crystal-like glass
        7. Four living creatures
        8. A scroll in God’s right hand
        9. A Lamb resurrected from the dead
    4. Look at the worship of these chapters.
      1. How can people expect to live meaningful lives
      2. without worshiping the Creator as they do in heaven?
    5. Revelation 4.6 pictures a sea of glass.
      1. So does chapter 15.
      2. To get to the throne,
        1. we have to go through the sea.
        2. Even as Israel went through the sea and was baptized into Moses,
          1. so we are baptized in water into Jesus.
            1. The priests could not enter the temple,
            2. until they washed in the brass “sea.”
          2. What a beautiful picture of baptism.
  2. The Scroll 
    1. Suddenly the glories of worship are interrupted
      1. by the presence of a scroll
      2. that no one in heaven, on the Earth, or under the Earth could open,

        3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it (Rev 5.3).
    2. How did that affect John?

      4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it (Rev 5.4).
      1. In the Book of Revelation
        1. the Lord revealed
        2. that something could not be revealed.
      2. Did this scroll represent Scripture?
        1. We can’t tell because no one could open it.
        2. It had seven seals on it.
    3. Not surprisingly, Someone was found who could open the Scroll, the Lamb.
      1. Everything changes when Jesus enters the picture.
      2. Everything changes when you see Jesus in Scripture.
        1. Therefore, in our worship now we have preaching.
        2. Someone needs to open the Scriptures for us and reveal their meaning.
    4. Toward my early years of preaching,
      1. it was not unusual for a member of the church to tell me
      2. that preaching in the assembly was not really necessary.
        1. All we needed some brethren told me
        2. was to take the Lord’s Supper.
          1. They indicated that they could do away with me and
          2. it would not hurt the church at all.
            1. Well, I say, Go for it!
            2. I will go someplace where they want and need a preacher.
              1. They tried to threaten me with cutting off my salary.
              2. I told them, Go ahead!
                1. The church does not pay my salary.
                2. The elders do not pay my salary.
                3. The members do not pay my salary.
                4. The Lord provides for me.
  3. Praising God 
    1. Listen to the magnificent things they said in heaven:

      8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

      “Holy, holy, holy,
      Lord God Almighty,
      Who was and is and is to come!”
      (Rev 4.8)

      11 “You are worthy, O Lord,
      To receive glory and honor and power;
      For You created all things,
      And by Your will they exist and were created.”
      (Rev 4.11)

      9 And they sang a new song, saying:

      “You are worthy to take the scroll,
      And to open its seals;
      For You were slain,
      And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
      Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
      10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
      And we shall reign on the earth.”
      (Rev 5.9–10)

      12 “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
      To receive power and riches and wisdom,
      And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
      (Rev 5.12)

      13 “Blessing and honor and glory and power
      Be to Him who sits on the throne,
      And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
      (Rev 5.13)

    2. How many people do the Scriptures show praising God in song or otherwise?
      1. Moses led Israel in song.
      2. Miriam led the women in song.
      3. Deborah and Barak led Israel in song.
      4. David sang multiple times in the Book of Psalms.
      5. Jesus and the disciples sang after He initiated the Communion.
      6. Paul and Silas sang in prison.
        1. See the happenings of Revelation 4 and 5 and see how it affects you.
        2. This happens repeatedly in the Book of Revelation:
          1. 7.10
          2. 7.12
          3. 11.17–18
          4. 14.2–3
          5. 15.3–4
          6. 19.1–3
          7. 19.6–8
  4. Amen 
    1. See the four living creatures respond
      1. to the worship and praise of Jesus, and
      2. His taking of the scroll.
      3. Revelation 5.14 says they said, “Amen.”
    2. The Lord is our Amen; Our Yes!

      19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. 20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us (2Co 1.19–20).

      “These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God…” (Rev 3.14)

    3. “Amen” in Revelation often.
      1. First, in the opening scenes:
        1. 1.6
        2. 1.7
        3. 1.18
        4. 3.14
        5. 5.14
      2. Then, in the closing scenes:
        1. 19.4
        2. 22.20
        3. 22.21

Exhortation: 

  1. What does Jesus mean to you? 
    1. Some people see Him as the Big No.
    2. Scripture shows Him as the Yes and the Amen.
      1. He is our everything.
      2. He is our all.
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