Wonder Leads to Worship - Redemption

Read Revelation 5 (whole chapter)

Intro:

Did you know that gifts involve sacrifice? … every gift that is given involves some sort of sacrifice … when you give a gift to someone else, it involves sacrifice … when you receive a gift, you received something that someone else made a sacrifice for

Many of you know this … but my mom passed away a little over a week ago … and one of the things that we remember about my mom was her spirit of generosity

Mom loved to quilt … and she loved to give quilts away … one of her biggest hobbies was making quilts for other people

But what a lot of people who received those quilts don’t know was that … it would take her weeks to finish one quilt … and she would often stay up to 1 or 2 in the morning trying to make progress … not because she was stressed out, but because she was excited to finish the quilt she was working on … and because she already had another quilt in mind that she wanted to make for someone else

Gifts involve sacrifice

That sacrifice might be money … it might be time … it might be energy … it might be sleep …

A real gift comes at a price … a sacrifice has to be made in order to give that gift to someone else

Background:

2 weeks ago, we started talking about the relationship between wonder and worship … and how wonder leads us to worship

We spoke about the Lord’s creation … and how it is so wonderful we could never fully understand it … the more we know the more wonderful it is

And even more wonderful is the creator who created this amazing creation that we live in … and as we look at the world he created … it should lead us to desire to worship Him

That is not the only “wonder” we have been given … in fact, much of our lives, both physically and spiritually, are beyond our understanding

This morning, we want to focus on another aspect of wonder … we want to focus on the wonderful gift of our redemption … the gift with a depth so far beyond our understanding that it is truly a mystery … the gift that required the greatest sacrifice

I. Rev. 5:9-12 - The Gift of Redemption

Revelation 5 gives us a glimpse into the Lord’s throne room

As the Apostle John watches future events take place … he hears an angel call out, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”

No one was Worthy … in heaven or on earth … until the lamb stepped forward … Jesus … the lamb who had been slain for you and me

Now, this scroll represents ownership of the earth and all that is in it … some have called it the title deed to earth

But the only one worthy to receive the scroll and to open it … was Jesus

Now, why was Jesus the only one worthy to receive this scroll?

Well, we can see the answer in a song that is sung to Jesus … in vs. 9-10

In vs. 9-10, the 24 elders (we talked about them 2 weeks ago - represent God’s people) … these twenty-four elders sing out the Jesus … and they sing a new song

The subject of this song … “You are worthy”

And they sing out, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals ...”

Why? “… for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation ...”

What are they saying? That Jesus is worthy to receive the earth and all in that is in it … including you and me … because he was slain … because he gave his blood as a ransom for you and me

This is that beautiful gift of redemption … Jesus came into the world that he created … he gave his body to be beaten … he gave his blood to be shed … as the perfect and innocent sacrifice on our behalf

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 新改訳2017

神は、実に、そのひとり子をお与えになったほどに世を愛された。それは御子を信じる者が、一人として滅びることなく、永遠のいのちを持つためである。

Now, it can be easy for us to lose the wonder when it comes to redemption ...

It’s easy to lose the Wonder because we’ve heard the story so many times … we’ve received communion so many times … we’ve experienced Easter so many times … and redemption become simply a theological belief

Now, redemption is theological … it is based in the Bible … and it is true

But it is also very personal … because the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross was for you

Now, if you work at a job where you need to purchase a large amount of the same items … for example, if you work at a restaurant, or if your workplace manufactures anything … you want to find the best deal

You look for the bulk price … the idea is that if you buy a lot you get a bigger discount

Jesus died for the sins of the world … the largest quantity possible …

But you know, I don’t think that he paid the bulk price … there wasn’t a discount involved here … he paid for every single sin that you and I have committed … he paid full price

What is the extent of Jesus’ sacrifice?

Well, in Galatians, we are told that Jesus sacrificed himself for each of us individually

Galatians 2:20 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 新改訳2017

もはや私が生きているのではなく、キリストが私のうちに生きておられるのです。今私が肉において生きているいのちは、私を愛し、私のためにご自分を与えてくださった、神の御子に対する信仰によるのです。

In Exodus, speaking of the Passover, we are told that the sacrifice was made for each family

Exodus 12:3 ESV

Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household.

Exodus 12:3 新改訳2017

イスラエルの全会衆に次のように告げよ。 この月の十日に、それぞれが一族ごとに羊を、すなわち家ごとに羊を用意しなさい。

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover

In Isaiah, we are told that Jesus’ sacrifice was for the nation of Israel

Isaiah 53:8 ESV

By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?

Isaiah 53:8 新改訳2017

虐げとさばきによって、彼は取り去られた。 彼の時代の者で、だれが思ったことか。 彼が私の民の背きのゆえに打たれ、 生ける者の地から絶たれたのだと。

“My people” refers to Israel … Jesus’ sacrificed himself for his people (the nation of Israel)

But in John, we are told that Jesus’ sacrifice was for the whole world

John 1:29 ESV

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:29 新改訳2017

その翌日、ヨハネは自分の方にイエスが来られるのを見て言った。「見よ、世の罪を取り除く神の子羊。

Why am I bringing up all these passages?

Simply to show that no one was left out … Jesus gave his life for every single person in history … whether Jew or Gentile … whether American or Japanese or whatever nationality … Jesus paid the price to redeem every person in history … and to redeem each person individually

And this tells me that you are not grouped into a bulk package … because we know that the Lord knew us before we were even created … he knew you by name before you were born … he knew you by name when he died on the cross … and he died with you in mind …

When he called out, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing!” … even though you and I were not physically at the cross … that plea for forgiveness was made for you

Now, we have so many promises that are connected with our redemption … or we might call it our salvation

We are promised forgiveness … eternal life … a spiritual dwelling in heaven …

We are promised God’s presence … we have been given the mind of Christ … we have been given the Holy Spirit as our guarantee

And each one of these things is extremely deep … a personal gift from Jesus …

To think that the Lord has given us such huge gifts is overwhelming … because you and I are not worthy

But look at vs. 10 … “you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Jesus has also given us a kingdom … we will reign with him on the earth

Romans 5:17 ESV

For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:17 新改訳2017

もし一人の違反により、一人によって死が支配するようになったのなら、なおさらのこと、恵みと義の賜物をあふれるばかり受けている人たちは、一人の人イエス・キリストにより、いのちにあって支配するようになるのです。

Notice that we “who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness” … we reign in life through Jesus

We are not subject to death … death has no power over us … we reign in life … and that life extends from this earth into eternity

And specifically, the reigning spoken about in Revelation is when we will reign with Jesus on this earth … the Bible tells us that he will give us the kingdom as a gift

II. Rev. 11:15-18 - The Gift of the Kingdom

In Revelation 11, as the Lord is sending down judgment after judgment on the world that has rejected him …

An angel cries out in vs. 15 … “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever”

And then we find a song being sung …

This song is once again sung by the 24 elders (representing God’s people) … and it’s a song of thanksgiving

Vs. 17 … “We give thanks to you … for you have taken your great power and begun to reign”

“Jesus, thank you for taking the throne!”

Now, presently, Jesus is ruling over a spiritual kingdom

But Revelation takes us forward to when Jesus will reign over the nations of the world with a rod of iron

The 24 elders sing out because finally the evil and wickedness in the world has been judged

In vs. 18, it tells us that “the nations raged” … the people of the world were angry … angry toward God … they wanted to have their own way … they wanted to be in charge

But the verse continues … “but your wrath came” … at the absolute peak of hatred toward Jesus, Jesus comes in and deals with the wicked world

We read that the dead are judged … that Jesus’ servants are rewarded … and that those who destroy the earth are destroyed

But what is much greater than the judgment is the rewards … the rewards for Jesus’s servants … for those who fear Him

One of the most famous phrases from the New Testament is the phrase, “Well done, good and faithful servant”

This phrase is connected with receiving a reward … it’s the words that Jesus will say to you and to me when we have completed our race here on earth … and we will be rewarded for the works of faith that we did in Jesus’ name

Now, I like it when I receive the Best Denki pamphlet in the mailbox every month or two

I like it because I get to go into the store and see if I won … sometimes I get 500 yen … I’m still waiting for that 3,000 yen winning ticket

But part of the fun is knowing what I might win … and then going to see if I won or not

But sometimes we forget about the promise of rewards … simply because we don’t know what they’re going to be … we have to trust that these awards are going to be amazing

Now, if you think about the most amazing reward you could ever receive on earth (think about it) … wouldn’t it only makes sense that the rewards that Jesus gives are a million times greater?

Without even knowing specifically what you’ll receive … you can worship Jesus because you know that he’s going to give you a reward that will blow your mind

There’s one more gift I want to look at in the short time we have left … the gift of the bridegroom

III. Rev. 19:1-8 - The Gift of the Bridegroom

After the Lord completed pouring out his wrath upon the earth … we hear the word, “Hallelujah!”

“Hallelujah” means “praise the Lord”

Heaven is praising the Lord because of his true and just judgments … that in judging the wickedness of the earth, he did what was right

But look down at vs. 6-8 … we now see the Lamb again … and this time, the Lamb is also the bridegroom … Jesus said this:

John 3:29 ESV

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.

John 3:29 新改訳2017

花嫁を迎えるのは花婿です。そばに立って花婿が語ることに耳を傾けている友人は、花婿の声を聞いて大いに喜びます。ですから、私もその喜びに満ちあふれています。

The Bible has a few different names for the church …

The church is called the body of Christ … it’s also called the bride of Christ … you and I are the bride of Christ

What does that mean?

On the surface, it means that we are the ones who receive Jesus’ love … that we will be with him forever … that he will protect us and sustain us … that he will never leave us

But below the surface, it also means that there is a degree of intimacy that words can’t explain … there’s an intimacy in your relationship with Jesus that doesn’t need to be put into words

And that intimacy will just continue to grow as we move from life here to eternity with Christ … and we will be more and more satisfied with Jesus … and we will experience the depths of his love for us more and more throughout eternity

Conclusion:

Every gift involves a sacrifice

And to us, Jesus has given the greatest gift possible … his life … his body … his blood

And this gift has opened the door to boxes of gifts that we receive in the gift of redemption and salvation

Now, one thing that you never want to do after you receive a gift is try to pay for or prove that you deserve that gift

Maybe you’ve experienced the embarrassment of trying to repay for a gift … it doesn’t work very well … and it can be rather insulting

The Lord is not looking for us to try to prove that we deserve anything that he is given us … he knows that we don’t

What he desires for us to do is to simply gaze upon his generosity … to be in awe at the depths of his love … and to allow his gifts to lead us to worship Him

As we gaze upon the Lord’s gifts and seek to understand the sacrifice he made to give them to us, we cannot help but worship him