Worthy.

Revelation 5:4–5 ESV

and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; 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.”

Introduction

Our First lesson speaks of a dilemma that takes place in heaven. There they are, encircling God’s throne, where God is holding a scroll in his right hand. The scroll has on it those things not uttered before, things that reveal the true salvation history of the Lord, and things that are yet to happen. The dilemma is that no one is worthy to unroll the scroll, so it stays sealed. And yet, the salvation of mankind is written in that scroll. Without the seal being broken and the scroll is opened, salvation cannot be complete.

On earth, at the same time, Jesus stands on top of the Mount of Olives with His disciples. He charges them to make disciples of all nations. He had spoken to them about this moment in His Ministry. He had promised not to leave them desolate, but send His Holy Spirit to bring them alive in Him. And then He ascends into heaven before their eyes. The angels proclaim that He will return in the same way.

In our text, we see the arrival of Jesus in Heaven. The search in Heaven is over. One of the Four Living Elders said, “Weep no more, 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.” Jesus opens the Scroll, at which time the rest of the Revelation of God to John is made plain. As Jesus arrives in heaven, He is seated at the right hand of God where He now lives and rules as King over the world, the Church, and Heaven.

We have a King. This King loves and protects His own, sealed with another seal that cannot be broken: Baptism. Those sealed with water and the spirit cannot bear the mark of the Beast. You’re indelibly marked. While the world belongs to Him, it has the terminal disease of sin. You do, too. But in that scroll is written that death cannot touch you. When you die, you live. In that Scroll is revealed the Book of Life. You are in it through faith in Jesus. In that Scroll is resurrection. And in that Scroll is your eternal future.

That scroll also reveals to us some important things in our earthly walk.

First

Jesus has brought you into the Second Kingdom. The Church. This is where He rules and reigns in your life now. He does it through the forgiveness of sins. He is the Lion of Judah. He is the Lamb of God who takes away your sins. He is the lion, He is the lamb. His conquering of His Kingdom took a cross, where His enemy, Satan, thought he had won the day. Jesus was dead, whom the evil ones fear. This Head Crushing, serpent stomping Savior breaks us out of the Kingdom of power, and thrusts us into His Kingdom of Grace. A mighty fortress here on earth— His Church. This is how Jesus reigns on earth for a thousand years, here and now. “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” You hear it every week. Do you miss His voice when He speaks this?

This scroll proclaims that, marked by Baptism, you are in this awful world (that God so loved!) but you are not of this world. That is a theme laced throughout Scripture. Your leader is not a monarch, or president, or governor, though we respect them all when they do not order us to go against Scripture, you have a King.

Second

You are not just a subject under this King’s rule; You are married to Him. Not individually, mind you, though you are one with Him through faith in Jesus, but rather in the Body of Christ, the Church. “He’s coming back to claim His own.” Right now, we live in a two-part Kingdom. What we have here, in the Kingdom of Grace, His Church, is a foreshadowing of what we will have forever. The Church today exists in this world of trouble. We are always contending and fighting for the Gospel to go out to all Nations so that they might be saved. This is why sometimes the Church on earth is called the “Church Militant.” We don’t “fight alone”, but we are empowered by the Spirit. And for us fights the Valiant One whom God, Himself, elected. The world can change laws, persecute those who belong to Jesus, and even put them to death; it changes nothing. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Don’t let your love grow cold at a time like this. Don’t lose your first love, Jesus Christ, over the battles we may face.

He’s coming back to claim His own. Stay alive in this hope. You are not merely the prepared bridesmaids awaiting the arrival of the Groom. You are the Bride of Christ herself. At midnight the cry rings out. Through faith your lamps are full and bright, reflecting His light into the darkness and doom and gloom of this evil world. You have all of the oil you need— oil is one of the symbols of the very real Holy Spirit. When He comes, those without this oil will be left knocking on a door that is eternally locked. But you will be carried over the threshold of heaven in the Groom’s nail-pierced hands. Your King will bring you from the Kingdom of Grace into His eternal kingdom of glory.

Third

What a day that will be! There will be a trumpet sound. Jesus will return with the Angels and the Martyrs in the clouds and every eye will see Him.

Daniel 12:2-3

Daniel 12:2–3 ESV

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

The Resurrection occurs, and then the Judgment. The Sheep and the Goats The Left and the Right.

The Sheep are welcomed into heaven. Not on the basis of their works, but their works do follow them. The ransom was paid already by the King when He reigned from the Cross. “Come You Blessed”. The Bride was His from the beginning. The eternal wedding feast ensues. We sample it now in the Eucharist where we become one flesh with Christ here and now. They were so in love with the Lamb that they didn’t even realize the works that their love led them to do.

The Goats are damned because of their works or lack of works. They tried to make it on their own and find out the hard way that you can’t do it that way. You cannot buy God off with works or money or anything else. “Depart from me...”

The earth and everything on it— including the Kingdom of Power and all of the Kingdoms of the world will be destroyed by fire. What sort of people ought you to be, knowing this? We await the new heavens and the new earth.

Taken into heaven we will reign with Him. He will turn the Kingdom back over to God and His Father. We, too, will join in the Hymn of praise of Him who was worthy to open the Scroll and save us by His blood!

Revelation 5:12–14 ESV

saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.