Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro:

Be ready.

Churches told to “correct and endure” and to “overcome.”

As the vision John has proceeds, we are going to get into some heavy stuff.

But there is this heavenly scene to let us know… it’s going to be okay.

You win.

I’m telling you in advance.

Good morning.

Glad to see everyone.

We are going to start with an activity.

It’s kinda an “adult” activity, sorry kids.

You ready?

Say: I’m ready.

Okay… I want you to think about your monthly budget.

Maybe you don’t have one - that’s okay.

You probably still have an idea of how much money you need to make it each month.

I know there are different income levels in the room.

Maybe some of us have a lot of disposable income.

Maybe some of us have a lot of savings - God bless you.

Good job.

For the sake of the activity, let’s just say you don’t have any extra savings to use.

And no disposable income.

All you have left is what you need to get by this month: bills, food, and gas (paycheck to paycheck).

Got the number?

Okay…now let’s just say for whatever reason, that income shrunk 50%, but your expenses stayed the same.

Who’s blood pressure just went up?

How many would volunteer for this to happen for one month?

Okay… what if God told you, “If you voluntarily give up 50% of your income for one month, and endure it, afterwards, you will never have to worry about money again.

You’ll have everything you’ll ever need.

How many would volunteer knowing that extra information?

Okay

How many would volunteer to give up 50% for one month, knowing that extra information?

That extra information, that divine parenthesis, makes a big difference, right?

It gives us a different perspective.

It makes us look at enduring through a tough time differently.

Exegesis:

Setting the stage (What’s happening)...

As move into chapters 4 & 5, God inserts a parenthesis.

In the reminder of Revelation, we are going to talk about some intense stuff.

It’s literally about how the world is going to end.

And a lot of it isn’t fun - it’s crazy!

But before we get to that, God says, “Hold up… I want you to tell you something first.”

He gives us a parenthesis - extra information that gives us a better perspective.

That first curved bracket of God’s parenthesis starts in verse 1...

The language indicates John’s first vision (chapters 1-3) is over.

A second vision has begun.

A New Vision:

In this vision, John is brought to heaven to see what’s going on up there and he’s going to see some wild stuff.

But before we get into the vision, I’m going to talk about something that may be a little confusing.

I’m going to turn on the firehose for a moment.

I apologize if it’s too much to take in at once.

I’ll try to be as clear as possible.

I think you guys can handle it.

If you have questions after, come grab me after service and I’ll try to answer any questions.

I’m going to turn on the firehose for a moment.

I apologize if it’s too much to take in at once.

I’ll try to be as clear as possible.

I think you guys can handle it.

Some believe chapter 4 is really important.

Based on one possible view of Revelation, some think this chapter introduces a new era in human history.

This is what I was taught.

I believe it’s a solid view.

However, I’m not willing to say this is the RIGHT or the only view.

But let me summarize this view for you...

Let’s start at .

Verse 19 says:

Rev

I was taught this verse is the table of contents for the book of Revelation, revealing the 3 main sections: 1) Things you have seen; 2) Those that are; 3) And, those that are to take place “after this” (Say: After this!) - remember that.

Section 1: “The things you have seen” would refer to chapter 1 when John saw a vision of the glorified Jesus.

Section 2: “Those that are” are chapters 2 & 3, when John writes to the 7 present-day churches.

And Section 3: “those that are to take place after this” refers to chapters 4-22, which describes future end-times events.

And this view would connect the third section of the table of contents to...

Notice the phrase “after this.”

The time of the church as we know it has ended, and it’s time for the end to begin.

Also, those who hold this view would also see this parenthesis as an indication that the “rapture” has happened - possibly symbolically represent by the “open door in heaven” and the call to “come up here.”Now,

“rapture,” maybe that’s a familiar term for you, maybe not.

Basically, it describes a future event where Jesus takes His church out of the earth before all the end-times chaos begins.

The reason Jesus raptures His church is connected to seeing the judgments described in the book of Revelation as part of God’s wrath.

Yes, God has wrath.

He does and will judge sin in His holy wrath.

And no, that doesn’t contradict His love.

But because the tribulation is part of God’s wrath, we look to this verse...

As the church, we don’t have to worry about God’s wrath.

We are saved in Jesus!

Therefore, some believe chapter 4 symbolically describes the rapture and signals the beginning of the Great Tribulation - a new and terrible era on earth.

[Ready slide?]

Again, this is the view I was taught.

I would probably agree the most with this view.

If you don’t, that’s okay.

Regardless, what is clearly found here in & 5 is a divine parenthesis, where the apostle John gets a vision of heaven.

And in this vision, he sees two MAJOR people...

God the Father on the throne:

The first MAJOR person he sees is God the Father, sitting on His heavenly throne.

In verse 2 & 3, John attempts to describe what he sees the best way he can.

He references precious jewels and colorful rainbows, even later on he brings in OT language to describe God (thunder and lightning), but there’s really no way to describe Someone so beautiful.

Our human words fall short.

Nevertheless, we get the point.

My son Nole is special needs.

Sometimes he doesn’t have the vocabulary to describe something he finds beautiful.

So, he uses the words he has.