Is It Time?

Prayer

Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

(BCP 2019, Collect 115)

Introduction

(SERIES SLIDE)

I remember a day, over 8 years ago now …

My wife, Sue, and I were sitting in a hospital room - well, she was lying down, *I* was either sitting or pacing. We had been there for nearly three days - waiting, sleeping, waiting, sleeping - it seemed like an eternity. Friends and family kept calling on my cell phone, “Is it time?” It was hard to hold my temper as I repeatedly said: “no, not yet.” I was feeling anxious, trying to be the strong one, but holding back my own feelings as I simply tried to work through the issues ahead of us, one by one.

The doctors and nurses came and left, came and left, probably asking themselves the same question: “Is it time?” They were getting anxious as well even as they tried to keep us calm.

Suddenly, on the morning of the third day, there was a flurry of activity. Nurses rushed in their devices; the doctor sat at the foot of the bed. Repeated cries of “Push!” were replied to with grunts and heaves and whimpers.

And finally, in a cacophony of sounds and movement, the moment had arrived. My beautiful daughter was born! She entered the world and her cries were like the angels of heaven rejoicing.

After the nurses cleaned her, and she had lain upon her mother’s chest, I was able to go and look upon her tiny face as she lay in the crib.

I couldn’t help but weep.

As I looked down in awe of this little miracle my mind raced with possibilities: possible futures, possible challenges, possible joys — those endless possibilities that come with new life.

And as much joy as I felt, I also felt dread and uncertainty. My daughter had entered into a broken world, filled with dangers and strife, pain, suffering, illness, and wickedness. How could I protect her from all of that? On whom could *I* rely? Who was worthy of taking on that gauntlet to protect this new life, so pure and innocent, from a broken world?

I certainly knew it wasn’t me.

In our passage from Revelation 5 this morning, I can imagine something similar going through John’s mind as he waited in that throne room. He hoped for certainty: the clean, simple, final answer to his trials. And yet, the answer to his questions were far different than what he expected.

Whenever we’re going through challenges or uncertainty in life, we tend to look for the “pat” answer, the one that resolves any doubts or questions we may face.

We ask questions like these:

Is it time?

Are we done with this strife and anxiety?

And yet, these are often the wrong questions. When we are facing uncertainty in our lives, when our anticipation — whether it’s joyful or anxious — overwhelms us, emotions boiling up to the point they want to explode — the real question is not “when?” but “in whom can I trust?” and “Who is worthy of that trust?”

As we explore our passage this morning, I encourage you to find your hope in the only one who is worthy of that trust, Jesus Christ.

Context

(BLANK SLIDE)

OR (“Is it time?”)

Last week, in our series titled Revealing Hope in our Midst, we spoke of Christ’s encouragement to “Fear Not!” in the face of our trials.

That seems simple enough. And yet, when overwhelmed with life’s circumstances, my next question often becomes: “Okay God, I trust you not to fear, but how long must I endure this? Is it time?”

This morning, we’re going to ponder this question (“Is it time?”) through John’s eyes in Revelation 5.

If you were here last week or watched the message online, you’ll remember a little of John’s backstory:

Thousands of Jews and Christians had been murdered in the 60 years since Christ’s death.

The temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed.

Idolatry and the worship of Roman gods (including the Emperor and his family) were the norm for society. Those who refused were considered outsiders, troublemakers, and excluded from most of daily life.

Mention of Jesus’ name could be punishable by death.

John had been exiled to an island far from his family and friends for his proclamation of Christ.

Formal persecution was not a regular occurrence just yet, but John and the early Christians could see it coming very soon.

In this context, I can only imagine what must have been going through John’s mind as he saw the visions in our passage this morning.

I can imagine him reciting Psalm 13, which begins:

Psalm 13:1–2 ESV

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Or echoing the pleas of the slain martyrs in Revelation 6:

Revelation 6:10 ESV

10 ... “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

John has been told to “Fear not!” And yet, in his heart, I imagine he also asked, “Okay, I trust you … but when will this all be over? Is it time?”

The Text

John Weeps

As we turn to our text this morning, please find Revelation 5 in your Bibles. I’ll try not to bounce around too much.

A little quick background of what we missed:

Chapters 2 and 3 contain Christ’s praise and rebukes of the churches in Asia. Chapter 4 begins a new vision a brings John into the throne room of God. There he gazes upon God the Father seated regally upon His throne, His presence like rare jewels, His throne encircled by a rainbow, with lighting and thunder pouring forth from His presence (Rev 4:3, 5). John watches as the angels, creatures, and twenty-four elders worship God the Father, falling at his feet, and casting their crowns before His glory!

Starting at verse 1, John now sees a scroll resting in God’s right hand. It is God’s plan for salvation and judgment, ready and prepared to restore all of creation back to its Creator.

John must have been excited! “Surely I am going to get the answer to my question now.

There it is. The answer I’ve been looking for!

The plan for salvation.

The plan for justice to be restored.

God is ready to make all things right!”

But, the scroll is sealed.

An angel cries, “… ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’” (Rev 5:2).

Looking throughout heaven and earth, no one can be found! It seems no one is “worthy to open the scroll or look into it” (Rev 5:4).

And John weeps. Not just a few tears — he weeps loudly — tears of anguish and despair.

John’s hopes and dreams seem just out of reach.

The Lion/Lamb

Then, in verse 5, an elder says to him:

“Weep no more” or, a better translation, “Stop weeping!” In the Greek, it's a command, like saying, “Stop your blubbering, be quiet and just watch!”

The elder continues:

Revelation 5:5 ESV

5 … behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Imagine the relief John must have started to feel. God’s plan of salvation and justice will be fulfilled.

A lion is coming to open the scroll.

The promised Lion of Judah, the Messiah, the mighty savior of Israel and redeemer of the world. He was coming to open the scroll!

And yet, in verse 6, what he sees is not what he expects. Rather than a lion, John sees “a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.”

Was John disappointed? Was he saying to himself, “I was looking for a lion and all I got was a slaughtered lamb?”

Most of us have been Christians long enough to know of Christ’s association with a lamb. Upon seeing Jesus, John the Baptist says,

John 1:29 ESV

… “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

or in Peter’s epistle:

1 Peter 1:18–19 ESV

… you were ransomed ... with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

or Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

… For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

But I want you to realize how entirely bizarre this would have been in John’s time. Surely, the Lion of Judah couldn’t possibly be a slaughtered lamb!

Leon Morris, one of my companions for this morning, wrote,

Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary b. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah (5:5–14)

When earth-bound men want symbols of power they conjure up mighty beasts and birds of prey. Russia elevates the bear, Britain the lion, France the tiger, the United States the spread eagle—all of them ravenous. It is only the Kingdom of Heaven that would dare to use as its symbol of might, not the Lion for which John was looking but the helpless Lamb, and at that, a slain lamb.’

And yet, it was for this very reason Jesus Christ came to Earth:

so he could be slain.

By this one act of grace, Christ showed his Lion-ness, His might and his power. Through this act, humankind was saved from the curse of sin and death and God’s victory over the powers of darkness was sealed.

The might of God comes not through war or military prowess. God’s kingdom operates through another greater power: Love. It is for this act of grace that Jesus is worthy to fulfill God’s plans.

The Response: Worship

In verse 8, when the Lamb takes the scroll, heaven and earth ring out in worship!

Christ’s sacrifice made him worthy not only to let loose God’s plan of salvation and judgment, but worthy of the highest praise.

In verses 9 and 10 heaven sings:

Revelation 5:9–10 ESV

… “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Buried within this song of praise is the answer to John’s question.

The answer to the question of “How long?” was an invitation to partner with God in His mission. The grace that saves us from the power of sin and death, also invites us into God’s mission for humankind as a “kingdom and priests to our God.”

This is not a future kingdom or a future priesthood.

As Peter writes in his first epistle

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

… you are [not in the future, now!] a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

The answer to John’s question is this: “In Christ’s sacrifice on the cross God has begun the work of redeeming the world, it will be done, it will be completed … but there is more work to be done and we are called to join in it.”

We are called to join in the battle alongside the angels, not with military might or power, but with the same self-sacrificial acts that made Jesus Christ worthy of our praise, proclaiming His kingdom to those who do not know Him!

Application

So, did John get an answer to his question: “Is it time?”

Well, yes and no. The answer he got may not have been exactly what he wanted.

God’s final plan has been put into action, the end is inevitable — it is certain, it will come. Christ will return, heaven and earth will be restored and reunited. The power of sin and darkness will forever be defeated. God answers him, “Yes John, it is time … but not in the way you think … it is time to join me in the redemptive work of my kingdom.”

Thus, in a sense, "is it time?” is really the wrong question to be asking.

God’s work is not yet complete. His grace and mercy demands that He give humanity a chance until the very end. Until the final bowls of wrath are poured out upon creation (Rev 16), men and women have a chance to repent. [1]

Jesus himself said,

Matthew 24:14 ESV

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Instead of focusing on relief from our struggles, we are called to take on a special role in God’s work. As a “kingdom of priests to our God” (Rev 5:10) we are commissioned to call the world to return to God.

As part of this, we are also called to patient endurance — not sitting idly while the world disintegrates around us — we have a job to do. We are called, like Christ, to be a royal priesthood for the world around us, not by offering sacrifices of bulls or goats, but by offering the sacrifice of ourselves.

As Paul wrote in Romans, we are called to:

Romans 12:1 ESV

… present [our] bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is [our] spiritual worship.

In the times when we must wait — when we must endure — our response must not be to ask how long we must endure, but our response should be to worship, not just using our voices in song on Sunday morning, but:

offering up our bodies, our livelihoods, our desires and wants, our very beings as a living sacrifice

offering praise to the only one who is worthy of praise

proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world, so that when the “end of the end” does come and Christ returns to redeem His creation, all creation will stand before him and say,

Revelation 5:12 ESV

… “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Conclusion

(SERIES SLIDE)

Looking back at those days by Sue’s bedside so many years ago, I can’t help relating to John: exhausted, frustrated, and scared of the infinite dangers that lay ahead.

Yet, looking through my fear and anxiety, I knew I had a calling I could not neglect for this young child. I would have to be a good father for her. I would have to lead and guide her to know Jesus Christ and, God willing, one day encourage her take that mantle upon herself. I would have to hold on to hope and trust her life and her spirit to the only one who is trustworthy.

John had a similar decision to make. Would he simply plead with God, “Is it time?” Or would he answer the call to partner with God in bringing forth His kingdom on Earth? His hope rested in his trust in Christ’s worthiness to bring forth God’s plan of salvation and judgment.

As we deal with the challenges of the world, let us likewise rest in the knowledge that Christ is the only one worthy of our trust. He will embolden and strengthen us to endure life’s challenges as we come alongside Him in the work of God’s kingdom.

Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Footnotes

Grant LeMarquand, NT-647 Revelation, Trinity School for Ministry, Lecture 9. Delivered 2021-11-10.