"Yet They Live" (Revelation 6:9-11)

Memorial Day Service

Killed for Faith (v.9)

Slain Because of the Word of God

Were killed for their stance on the truth revealed by God.

The times of which they lived, culture and society hated the word of God so much that those who confessed it were killed for doing so.

The Roman Empire (1st - 4th Centuries)

Emperors Nero and Domitian.

Diocletian who made it his life vow to destroy the word of God and all believing Christians.

1597, 26 believers were publically crucified in Nagasaki to stop the spread of Christianity.

Up to the present day where being found with a Bible in certain places in Africa, as well as the Middle East and North Korea could have you publically executed or imprisoned in a labor camp.

The Word of God has always been offensive to the unrepentant heart.

The nature of mankind is prewired against it at birth, cursed to be inclined to hate the Word of God.

The Word of God bears witness against mankind and declares our deeds to be evil.

Calls us out, and we do not like it.

There are those who never humble themselves to the Word of God and grow in their hatred for it all the more.

Unfortunately, many of them have grown into great power and influence in this world and use their power to destroy God’s word, and seek to do it by destroying those who believe in it.

Slain Because of their Witness

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Not only did they believe, but they were faithful in proclaiming it, unashamedly. (Imagine if Paul had been ashamed)

They bore witness to the testimony of God and of His Son Jesus Christ to the expense of their own lives.

How many times has comfort, convenience and reputation stopped us?

They refused to remove from their lives the one trustworthy source of God’s self disclosure.

No matter what the masses believed or pushed upon society.

Calling the Word of God insignificant and outdated.

No matter the laws made by those placed in authority over them.

No matter the discomfort felt among their peers or the social pressure they faced.

The truth was more important to them and they would never deny it. (They maintained their witness v.9)

Do you actually believe what is written in that Book?

How would you answer that question if asked? Would you be willing to give that answer publically and on trial for it?

Slain for the Sake of the Lamb Slain

It was not just a book that they were willing to die for, it is the Person from whom the book has been given to us.

“All of Scripture is God-Breathed...” (2 Timothy 3:16)

The Bible is a physical and living representative of our God in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ, testified about by the Spirit of God who inspired it.

Here we have three witness testifying about its significance, three witnesses who cannot lie.

It tells us of the hope we have to eternal life and these in this text were willing to lay down their lives in the belief and possession of that hope.

Though they were slain, though they laid down their lives for their King, yet they live!

Alive Because of Faith (v.10)

A Faithful Promise Made

Out of His amazing grace, God promises eternal life to all who would believe and call upon the Name of Jesus. (John 3:16)

John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,” (Speaking to Martha)

This was something the people of Jesus day understood already.

In the OT, God had made this promise and they were aware of it.

The Prophet Hosea mentions it.

Job says , “after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God.” (Job 19:25-27)

Daniel prophesies of the last days saying, Daniel 12:2 ““And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to reproach and everlasting contempt.”

John 11:23–24 “Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.””

God has no intention of leaving His people in the grave. He has promised life even after death long before Christ walked this earth, knowing that He would send His Son and provide the way for us. For those who would believe.

Mark 8:35 ““For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

A divine promise

A Faithful Promise Kept

Death has no place in paradise.

If these slain were not now alive, how could they be there, seen in the vision beneath the altar in heaven.

How could they cry out to Christ in such a way if they were not alive and conscious of themselves and their situation?

They are very much alive and with Christ.

This is evidence of the promise kept.

According to the grace, mercy and faithfulness of God they, though they were slain, live still.

They cry out to their Master, to Christ and long to see the justice of which has also been promised to them.

Imagine the faces he might have seen in the crowd

The Apostles, his friends and his brother James along with Paul.

The early Church fathers like Polycarp who he knew personally and Ignatius, another disciple of the Apostles killed for his faith.

Modern heroes like Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

The 21 Coptic Christians that were killed by ISIS in 2015.

All of them alive and with Jesus in paradise.

A Faithful Promise Lived

Do we live like we believe this promise?

Unafraid and unashamed?

Never yielding our belief for the sake of seeing the sun rise tomorrow?

To look death in the face and use our last breath to praise the very Name we are being persecuted for?

Die for Faith (v.11)

Die for Freedom

So many are willing to die for freedom

Somewhere between 1.2 and 1.3 Million American soldiers have lost their lives in war or some military conflict since the Revolutionary War began in 1775.

Defending our creed of Liberty and Justice for all.

I know so many people who would fight to the death right now for their rights and their freedom. (My patriotism would have me to like to think I am one of them)

And I am certainly grateful that I never have had to and even more grateful for those that have.

Die for Family & Friends

We all more than likely have that person or persons that we would more than willingly lay down our lives for.

To protect and keep them safe, we would go the distance even if the destination be death.

Pfc James Anderson Jr. in Vietnam in 1967, during an jungle ambush threw himself onto an enemy grenade that landed directly among his platoon. He absorbed the detonation and saved the lives of all the Marines around him. He was later to be honored as the first black marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

He did not hesitate to give up his life for his fellow marines. And I am sure if you could ask him, he would admit that he would gladly do it again. (So many stories like this)

Die for Faith

Freedom is important to us, our friends and family are very important to us, how important to us is our faith?

Are we willing to go the distance for our faith, even if the destination is death?

Is our commitment to Jesus of greater value than our next breath?

Jesus proved He is willing to go the distance for you.

He gave up His life for your freedom.

Freedom from sin, shame, fear, death.

God proved how important your freedom was to Him by sending His Son to die for it.

He gave up His life for your friendship.

John 15:13 ““Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus proved His love for you by willingly going to a cross and paying the ultimate sacrifice so that you might have life everlasting.

Are you willing to give up your life for Him?

To not allow even the idea of death to come between you and Him.

Christ may not call on you to die for Him.

Romans 12:1 “Therefore I exhort you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—living, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

He has called you to die to your old self and life for Him.

To give up everything in your life that dishonors Him and His sacrifice and walk in a newness of life.

Christ may not call on you to die for Him, but if He did, would you?

This verse clearly tells us that there will be more who will die because of their unwavering love for Christ. Because of His Word and their witness.

Today we honor those who gave their lives for this country, for our freedoms and for the constitution of the United States.

Let us also remember those who gave their lives in the service of our King, for the One True God and His Son Jesus Christ.

But above all we honor the One who gave up His life for all of mankind, for their freedom from sin, shame and death and for the promise of eternal life with Him in paradise.

Let us honor Him with our lives. Let us honor Him with our deaths.