The One Who Sits on the Throne
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Good morning. I am glad that we can be here together. last week we talked about how when we read the book of Revelation we have to remember that it is the story of who Jesus was, is, and will be.
The fact that we have to start with understanding that the word of God points us to him and what he did for us and that we sit in the tension and hope of both knowing he is with us now but we have the hope that he will return someday.
It is a good reminder that we are to begin by starting with Jesus.
Let me ask you this question though this morning.
What is the Mission of God?
What is the Mission of God?
If Jesus is the story of Revelation and the culmination of the Bible what is the Mission of God?
The mission of God is
Mission of God
Mission of God
The Mission of God is for us to come to church right. That’s what it is all about.
The human side of me wants to say absolutely.
We are better together after all but is this really what it is all about?
I had to ask myself these questions this week.
Do we get bogged down by the realities of church instead of recognizing what the true mission of God is?
It’s easy to get trapped in the running of a church.
If we just do this or change that we will grow our church the right way.
If we just make the sermons easier to listen to or get music that everyone likes we will be so much better.
If we cater to every whim of every person who walks in the doors how much better could we fulfill the mission of Church..I mean God.
I am guilty of this at times. I get thinking this way because I want to see this body of believers grow and come together but at the end of the day this is not the mission of God.
After all we know the truth the real mission of God is
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Right. I mean that right there. Many people would start and begin with that very idea.
The Mission of God is to save us from our sin.
That sounds right What better place to start than dealing with our sins.
What If I told you there is a problem with that.
See the problem that comes from approaching the mission of God as only a problem of dealing with humanities sin is you Start in the wrong place.
We want to start here.
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
We want to start with Genesis 3 instead of realizing that we need to start with Genesis 1.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
To help us better understand the mission of God we have to start with the truth that.
God is Creator
God is Creator
The Mission of God is bigger than just our redemption.
The mission of God includes all creation.
We can’t ever forget that God’s work is to restore all of creation.
In chapter 4 of Revelation John is standing in the throne room of Heaven. Before him is this amazing place that he does his best to describe to us.
1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.
4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
This awe inspiring scene is laid out before us. John is doing his best to describe the Almighty and his throne room. One of the defining characteristics though of the whole even comes in how the Elders respond to being in the presence of God.
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Notice what that says.
You are worthy Lord because you saved us…Wait he is worthy because he created us.
God The Creator
God The Creator
This isn’t about us punching our ticket to heaven. It is about the fact that God is worthy of worship because of who he is. He is the creator. Nothing else truly matters because that alone is enough for the 24 elders to fall down before him and worship him forever and ever.
Is it enough for you?
God is worthy of worship because of who he is.
Our hope can’t just lie in escaping a doomed world but we are partners in the work of restoring God’s creation. Just as Christ sought to restore us we know that one day God will transform this earth and the new Jerusalem will come down from heaven.
God the creator seeks to transform his creation just like he seeks to transform us.
This is a good reminder for us because it leads us to another question.
Who is in Control?
Who is in Control?
We are at a point in our country that I am reminded of how little control we have. Politics fill the news cycle giving our country a sense of anxiousness about the next couple months.
It gets worse, Locally fears were running high because there was an active shooter threat. Thankfully, it wasn’t what was first reported.
It was a reminder of how often do we get stuck in conversations about our fears.
The problem is that when we let fear reign as our motivator we forget who is really in control.
After all God is seated on the Throne.
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
God is Ruler
God is Ruler
Did you know that references to the throne appear no less than 40 times throughout Revelation.
The Throne is the center of the universe. It is the Mission control for all things. The one seated on it has all authority and power over all things.
God is the one who sits on that throne. Revelation reminds us and reaffirms the truth of the Old testament.
14 To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.
Let me ask you this question.
If God is sovereign over the whole universe what are you worried about?
Do you think there is some ruler or power, human or spiritual that can frustrate God’s Redeeming purpose for the world?
Share with us one force that is greater than God?
We will wait?
Our faith in God is recognizing that he is seated on the throne. The creator of all is in his place of authority and nothing will stop his work to restore and redeem this world.
It is a good reminder that God’s mission for this world is universal in scope. It is larger than we can imagine.
His mission is such that as we already talked about it includes creation and the redemption of who we are.
God began this through Christ.
He gave Christ share of the same sovereign authority.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
He is after all.
14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
The Rulers Followers
The Rulers Followers
We are his followers and we are to be with him and we are to live out the great commission of the Gospel.
To share the good news that God sent his son to die on the cross to free us from our sins and restore all creation.
Maybe we should read the great commission again to be reminded.
“therefore go and make disciples of only the people you want to, Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”
That sounds right. I only need to share the message with those I like, or look like me, act like me, and do what I want them to. Right?
Maybe we should try this again before I bring some punishment down on myself.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
All the Nations
All the Nations
God is the ruler of all people he is the redeemer of all people. He has come to save all of us. We are called to care for, love, and share the good news of the Gospel with everyone.
Division and hatred for others has no place in our lives.
I want to be extra clear on this right now.
We are called to show grace to everyone!
God shows us mercy and grace beyond what we deserve and we are to follow his example as we share the good news with others.
God reigns and he is the ruler of all things. He is the only one who can redeem the world but we are partnered with him just like we are partnered with Christ in his death and resurrection and we want to share that hope with others.
Not only though is God the one who reigns but we must never for get that
Revelation 4:8b (NIV)
8 Day and night they never stop saying: “ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
God is Holy
God is Holy
We can never forget this about who he is. We often describe God as love but if we are honest the most important description we have of God is Holy.
Earlier we sang the Hymn. Holy Holy Holy because of who he is. We can’t ever forget that.
In fact it was both that song and this passage that got me thinking about the importance of what is being said in this passage.
Holy Holy Holy.
Not once, not twice but three times.
God is Holy to the Max
God is Holy
God is Holy
This is the moment that if there were fireworks in heaven they would be going of around the throne the crowd would be cheering like its a rock concert. Lights flashing hands in the air. People jumping up and down like its a concert.
Man what would people think if that is what they walked into at church. They might see that in heaven.
I mean they did witness
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
It is conformation for me that God likes some metal music and I am here for it.
In all seriousness we can’t ever forget that God is Holy.
God is Holy
God is Holy
It is not just a description of who he is or one part it is all of who he is.
It both defines his character and his identity.
It is this holiness that forces to reconcile that it he can’t allow the evil powers of this world win the day. Evil must be destroyed.
For evil to be destroyed judgement and punishment are an unfortunate but necessary aspect of God’s life giving mission.
We have to remember that his holiness allows for no room for evil. It is his mercy though that helps bridge the gap for us.
It was his mercy that sent us the exalted one Jesus with whom he shares his character.
It is here that we return to that image from last week of the slain lamb and the lion of Judah.
It is in his holiness that it is possible for us to reach a state of life that we can be considered a Holy people.
In fact it is what God wants for us.
God’s Holy People
God’s Holy People
He wants us to be a Holy people. A people set apart. A people realizing that we can be all that he wants us to be. We can grow to a place of Holiness and he is calling us to that.
This isn’t done through what we do but is done because of what Christ does in us. It is through our relationship with him.
The One who sits on the Throne
The One who sits on the Throne
We must never forget that God is the creator. That his authority reigns over all things. He will restore not only us but his creation.
It is through his authority that we recognize that he is sovereign, he is our King. He will heal and redeem this world and his mission is to not only transform all of creation but to bring about peace in our world and no one can rival his power and authority.
Last and most importantly.
God is Holy.
It is his holiness, that we remember he can not compromise with the sinful powers of this world but he will overcome them and his judgement is righteous.
He is the one who was, is, and yet to come. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the one who sits on the throne and is in control of it all.
For that We praise his Name.
Let’s Pray.