The Joy of Membership
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
You may ask will things ever change? Will there ever really be justice on earth. Will there ever be a shift in power and will the world be honest, fair, and true? Will there ever be an end to oppression and greed? Will we have a chance to enjoy a world free of corruption and sin?
The answer is yes! A day is coming that I believe is not very far away when King Jesus will reign in righteousness and the world will know prosperity and peace such as has never been seen. The consequences of sin will be reversed and creation will be restored. What Adam lost will be regained and you and I will experience life in the Kingdom. Listen, heaven is so much more than a good place, a place of rest, or a happy place. Heaven is the full realization of the reign of God. It is a place that removes all the pain and memory of the suffering we endured here. Revelation 5:1-14 gives us a heavenly view of the unfolding consummation of the Kingdom of God.
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 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, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.
This morning I want us to look at three key components to the consummation of the kingdom.
Component 1: The Title to Paradise Lost. (Revelation 5:1-5).
Component 1: The Title to Paradise Lost. (Revelation 5:1-5).
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
A. The Scroll.
A. The Scroll.
1. Adrian Rogers says that this scroll is the title deed to earth. It was legally lost by Adam in Genesis 3. It had to be legally regained.
1. Adrian Rogers says that this scroll is the title deed to earth. It was legally lost by Adam in Genesis 3. It had to be legally regained.
You see Adam our head squandered our birthright - dominion over the earth.
Paul ventures into this difficult theological topic in Romans 5:12-14
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
This scroll represents our dominion, our place, our position.
This scroll is sealed with judgment and plagues.
All of which we deserve and all of which we are powerless to bear.
2. This scroll is also a decree of war against evil and unbelief. All of hell will be unleashed on earth. As we read through the rest of the book of Revelation, we see that demons will be released, famines, plague, pestilence, and cataclysmic disasters will shake the earth. Nations will rise, evil leaders will execute violence, false teachers will be exalted, and the Antichrist will persecute.
2. This scroll is also a decree of war against evil and unbelief. All of hell will be unleashed on earth. As we read through the rest of the book of Revelation, we see that demons will be released, famines, plague, pestilence, and cataclysmic disasters will shake the earth. Nations will rise, evil leaders will execute violence, false teachers will be exalted, and the Antichrist will persecute.
3. This scroll will humble all the earth.
3. This scroll will humble all the earth.
Component 2: The Seals of Destiny.
Component 2: The Seals of Destiny.
The things in this scroll were written and sealed for a particular day. Daniel 12:8-9
Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Each of these seals as we will see are connected to a judgment.
The justice that you thought God had withheld is coming.
The prayers that you thought had went unanswered will find their justification here (verse 8).
All the earth will know that God is the creator, sustainer, and judge of the earth.
Before we can realize the kingdom of God the earth must be judged.
We can understand why John was so distraught because no one could open the scrolls.
The kingdom cannot come until the scroll is opened.
Component 3: The Unrivaled Savior.
Component 3: The Unrivaled Savior.
Please get this picture with me. Salvation of mankind, the redemption of creation, the hope of all of mankind is wrapped up in this scroll.
The one who opens this scroll must be morally worthy. A spotless representative of mankind.
The one who opens this scroll must also be divinely worthy. He must be able to approach the perfect light of God and take the scroll from the hand of the one who sits on heaven’s throne.
The one who opens this scroll must be able to bear the judgment that is contained in the scroll on behalf of mankind.
The one who opens the scroll must be worthy of executing the judgments on the evil unbelieving world.
The search goes out and no one is worthy in heaven, on the earth, or under the earth. John expresses the despair that all the world feels. The sense of hopelessness and utter defeat.
An OT elder tells John not to weep. He describes Jesus in OT terms: The Lion of Judah and the root of David.
John, a NT elder when he looks, he see a Lamb who had been slain.
He has risen from the dead.
He has 7 horns which speak of His complete authority to reign.
He has 7 eyes which speaks of his omniscience and complete deity.
He takes the scroll and opens it.
The point is this: There is no one else like Jesus!
He is the only one who can save us, sustain us, and keep us.
He is worthy of our worship and all of our praise.
He has bore our judgement and punishment.
He will execute our justice and judgment on the earth.
4. The 24 elders in verse 9 and 10 sing a new song to the Lamb. This song replays what Jesus has done and what he will do for mankind. How Jesus has lifted us up.
4. The 24 elders in verse 9 and 10 sing a new song to the Lamb. This song replays what Jesus has done and what he will do for mankind. How Jesus has lifted us up.
a) He was slain – 1 John 4:1
a) He was slain – 1 John 4:1
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
b) He redeemed us to God – 1 Peter 1:18-19
b) He redeemed us to God – 1 Peter 1:18-19
knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
c) Out of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation – Romans 10:12-13
c) Out of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation – Romans 10:12-13
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
d) Made us kings and priest to our God – 1 John 3:1, 1 Peter 2:9
d) Made us kings and priest to our God – 1 John 3:1, 1 Peter 2:9
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
e) We shall reign on earth – 2 Timothy 2:12
e) We shall reign on earth – 2 Timothy 2:12
If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
We have so much to be thankful for that we should never stop praising His name.
We have so much to be thankful for that we should never stop praising His name.
We have good news to tell the world. They don’t have to face the judgment of the Lion. They can receive the gift of the Lamb.
We have good news to tell the world. They don’t have to face the judgment of the Lion. They can receive the gift of the Lamb.
We have a matchless Savior who for the moments has suspended judgment and extended grace.
We have a matchless Savior who for the moments has suspended judgment and extended grace.