We are the champions, we are the champions.
We are the champions, we are the champions.
Today we're in part five of a series that we're calling The Champion.
If you miss into the series, you can get called up on our website at iargau.com.
Some of our life groups are also studying the series along with us through the Book of Revelation.
Each week we're putting up discussion questions on the website. You can find those at the iargau.com at the video page.
And you can get those discussion questions for your life group.
There are a lot of different ideas and beliefs about the Book of Revelation,
and so I'm doing the best I can to teach you what I believe,
and we've agreed that we will all still be friends. Yes? Yes.
According to a recent Gallup poll, 81% of Americans say that they believe in heaven.
That's up a little bit from the last poll taken about 10 years ago where it was 72%.
80% of those people who participated in the poll believe that they are going to heaven.
So a large majority of Americans believe in heaven,
and most of them believe that they are going there when they die.
So while belief in heaven is going up, belief in God is trending down,
and it's strange that people think that they can separate the two because you can't.
When someone says the word heaven, what comes to your mind? What do you think of?
If you were asked to fill in the blank, heaven is a place of blank. What would you say?
I wonder how many of us would say heaven is a place of worship.
Real worship is probably one of our biggest spiritual needs.
Most of us are spiritually worship malnourished.
We give plenty of worship to rock stars and to movie stars and to sports stars,
even church stars. But what about God?
We say a lot about doing things for God and doing stuff for God and serving God,
and all that's good, but how about just worshiping Him for who He is?
Real worship means that we all, for all we are and all we have,
to praise God for all He is and all that He does.
Since Christians, the Bible tells us Christians are going to worship God for all of eternity,
so don't you think we ought to get a little practice before we go?
Today, we'll be looking at Revelation chapters 4 and 5, and hopefully this will help us
to better understand what it means to worship God and how to worship Him with a pure heart.
So Revelation chapter 4 verse 1, if you want to follow along in your Bible,
your smartphone, your tablet, we'll put the verses on the screen for you also as a convenience.
Revelation chapter 4 and verse 1.
After this, I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven,
and the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said,
come up here and I will show you what must first take place after this.
Some of you may have read some of the books out there about people who have had near-death experiences,
and they claim to have gone to heaven and then come back, and I don't know about all that.
You can believe that if you want.
But I do know that the Bible tells us about two people who did go to heaven in a vision,
and we know that's true because we believe that the Bible is true.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, the apostle Paul talks about being transported into heaven,
and he was told not to talk about what he saw, but also the apostle John visited heaven,
and he was allowed to talk about his vision in detail, and that's what's recorded here
in Revelation chapters 4 and 5.
This was John's second vision, the first one we studied in chapter 1 when he saw the glorified Christ.
The Bible talks about heaven over 500 times, but this is the place that has the most detail
in these two chapters.
In verse 2, at once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
One of the main words in this chapter is the word throne.
We'll see it here 14 times, and it's not just talking about a big chair,
even though I do believe there is literally a throne, but it's a symbol that God reigns.
He's in charge with all the scary stuff going on around us today.
It seems like every time we turn on the news there's another terror attack or some type of destruction,
but all of this is nothing new.
When this was written in Scripture, the church was going through intense persecution.
There were very difficult days, and knowing that God is on the throne and that he's in complete control
brings great encouragement to all Christ's followers.
The theme of the book of Revelation is that Jesus is the champion.
He's the king of kings, he's the Lord of lords, and we can trust that God is on the throne.
Verse 3, and the one who sat there on the throne had the appearance of Jasper and Ruby.
Can you imagine having a job of trying to describe God?
You know, it's impossible with human words.
We just don't have the language to do it.
John's given it his best shot.
Later he describes Jasper as being something that is crystal clear.
Verse 3, a rainbow that shone like emerald encircled the throne.
Notice that the rainbow here is not an ark, but it's a complete circle.
Everything in heaven is complete.
The rainbow is God's sign.
It's nobody else's sign.
It's God's sign of faithfulness to his word that he keeps his promises.
Usually the rainbow appears after the storm, here it appears before the storm.
Verse 4, surrounding the throne were 24 other thrones, and seated on them were 24 elders.
They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.
Even though many times numbers in Revelation are symbolic,
there is some symbolic meaning to the 24 here.
I believe there are actually 24 elders sitting on their thrones around the one throne.
But who are they?
The word elder here actually means gray-headed, and they may or may not have been gray-headed.
But I do believe that they were not angels, because angels are not numbered.
Angels don't sit on thrones, and angels don't wear crowns.
These elders, I believe, are Christians.
They represent the church.
They are the overcomers, and they had been presented crowns because of their faithfulness.
Verse 5, from the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and pills of thunder.
This could refer to the judgment that was coming on a sinful world from a powerful God.
Verse 5, in front of the throne seven lamps were blazing.
These are the seven spirits of God.
This is the one Holy Spirit signified by the number seven, that the Holy Spirit is perfect and complete.
Verse 6, also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
Revelation 21.1 tells us that there is no sea in heaven, but the crystal clear pavement covers the floor like a great sea.
Verse 6, in the center around the throne were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes in front and in the back.
These are like a seraphim, angels that Isaiah talked about in the Old Testament.
They refer to the connection to God in His power and His holiness and His presence.
The fact that they were full of eyes shows the wisdom of God and that nothing gets by them unnoticed.
Verse 7, the first living creature was like a lion.
John compared these four creatures to four of God's creations.
This is symbolic.
The lion symbolizes strength and power.
The second was like an ox.
The ox symbolizes humble service to God.
The third had a face like a man.
The man symbolizes that these creatures were intellectual.
The fourth was like a flying eagle.
The eagle symbolizes their ability to move quickly, swiftly.
Verse 8, each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings.
Day and night, they never stopped saying,
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come.
The holiness of God is so vast, so incredible, so amazing, so awesome that you can't just say it once.
You can't just say it twice.
You have to say it three times to get the full meaning.
Holy, holy, holy.
Verse 9, whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever,
the 24 elders fall down before Him, who sits on the throne and worship Him, who lives forever and ever.
They lay their crowns before the throne.
The New Testament talks about five crowns or five rewards that are given to Christians in heaven who are faithful.
But the true worshiper understands that only God deserves all the praise and that God alone is responsible for every good thing that we receive.
So in worship, we lay those crowns back at the feet of our Lord and King.
And this is what the 24 elders said in verse 11.
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things.
And by your will, they were created and have their being.
This is a song of praise to God the Creator.
When we were in Italy last month, we saw some of the most beautiful cathedrals and castles in the world, and they were amazing.
But none of them came close to the things that we saw that God had created.
The wonder and the majesty of the mountains and the oceans and the beautiful countryside.
If the heavens declare the glory of God, then shouldn't all of us join in the chorus?
Colossians chapter 1.
For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
But isn't it just like us to take something beautiful and wonderful that God has created and for us to mess it up?
Romans chapter 1 verse 25.
They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.
It's sad that we often neglect the worship of God, the Creator.
You know, the true answer to our environmental problems is not financial, it's not legal, it's not educational, it's spiritual.
And when we begin to acknowledge God as the Creator and see His created things for His glory, then our problems will be solved.
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being.
And then that moves us right into chapter 5.
The scene is the same.
We're in heaven before the throne of God with the four creatures and the 24 elders, verse 1.
Then I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.
The scroll could not be read because it was sealed shut as was the custom with ancient manuscripts.
John saw writing on both sides of the scroll and that meant that the writing was complete, the scroll was final.
Nothing could be added.
Verse 2.
And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll.
Though the name of the angel is not given, it's described as a mighty angel.
It could have been Gabriel, his name means mighty of God.
Verse 3.
But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.
Heaven or on earth or under the earth is an expression used in the Bible that talks about the whole universe.
Verse 4.
And I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.
Then one of the elders said to me, do not weep.
See, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has triumphed.
He is able to open the scroll and it's seven seals.
The lion of the tribe of Judah is one of the earliest names for the Messiah.
It represents his might and his strength.
The root of David is another name for Messiah.
It speaks of the prophecy that Messiah would be a descendant of King David.
The scroll represents the title deed for everything that God the Father promised the Christ because of his sacrifice on the cross.
Now, chapter 2, verse 8, ask me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
Hebrews chapter 1, verse 2, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his son whom he appointed heir of all things.
A title deed, a will can only be opened by the appointed heir and that is Jesus Christ, no one but Jesus.
And this is why John wept because he realized that God's plan to redeem us could not be complete until the scroll was opened.
No one in all the universe could be found to open the scroll.
No one was worthy enough except Jesus.
He came to the earth and he became a man.
He lived a perfect life.
He loved us.
He was willing to redeem us and he paid the price.
Verse 6, then I saw a lamb.
John turned to see a lion and instead he saw a lamb and the Greek word used here means a little pet lamb.
The Jewish people as they prepared for the Passover were required to take the Passover lamb into their home for four days as a pet before the lamb was slaughtered.
Verse 6, then I saw a lamb looking as if it had been slain.
The scars from the cross are still visible.
Then I saw a lamb looking as if it had been slain standing at the center of the throne encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.
He had seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
The number seven is the number of perfection.
Seven horns represent perfect power.
Seven eyes represent perfect wisdom.
Seven spirits represent perfect presence.
The attributes of God, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence.
Verse 7, he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne and when he had taken it,
the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb.
Each one had a harp, 24 harps at one time.
For many years I've run sound for Douglas Anderson School of the Arts for their big productions.
And every year they do a thing called the guitar ensemble where about 30 guitars come out on stage at one time and they all play together.
It's very unusual to hear that many instruments play at one time and the sound is amazing and that's what's going on here.
24 harps at one time.
Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of God's people.
Those golden bowls were common in the worship in the temple.
The use of incense was a normal part of Old Testament worship.
It represented the prayers of the people as it went up to God.
Verse 9, and they sang a new song saying,
you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain.
And with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
And you have made them to be a kingdom and priest to serve our God and they will reign on the earth.
This was a worship song that focused on Jesus not on our experience.
This was a gospel song that remembered the blood and the cross.
This was an evangelistic song about reaching every nation with the good news and the gospel.
They sang a new song.
Verse 11, then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousands times ten thousand.
The actual meaning here is a number that's too big to count, too big to even calculate.
They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders in a loud voice they were saying.
You know, every once in a while someone around here will think it's too loud.
I wonder how loud this is here.
I've got a feeling it's a little louder than what we do.
Many years ago, 22 years ago when we were in the old building next door, all we had for instrument was a piano.
And so I had a vision to start a band for the church.
So I asked Pastor Ken what he thought and he said, yeah, that'd be great.
He said it with a smile because he knew I was getting ready to open a hornet's nest.
So I announced that we're going to start a band and anybody would like to play in the band, you know, meet me after church.
So one of our leaders came up to me afterwards and he said, you know, you'll never have a band in this church.
Well, apparently he was wrong.
Now we were unplugged today.
Next week we'll have about 15 up here playing.
But as we were getting the band going, some of my friends would come and help fill in to get us off the ground.
And one of them was Wally Messer.
And some of y'all know Wally.
Wally's just a sweetheart, very dear friend, just the kindest person and a great musician.
And so Wally came and played the bass for us one Sunday morning.
And after the service, I could see one of our sweet ladies heading toward Wally.
And I could tell the way she was walking, she wasn't happy.
And so I was thinking, please, please, please don't say anything to hurt my friend's feelings.
He's here helping us, doing us a favor.
Anyway, she walked up to him and said, young man, I want you to know that your bass rumbled my pew.
And Wally looked at her and smiled and said, thank you.
And she didn't know what to do with that and walked away.
You see, to Wally, that was a great compliment.
To rumble her pew was a wonderful thing.
And I was thinking as I was reading this in verse 12, I got a good chance.
I believe that this is going to rumble some pews.
In a loud voice they were saying, worthy is the Lamb who was slain
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.
And then I heard every creature.
I think this says every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea
and all that is in them saying to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praised
and honor and glory and power forever and ever and the four living creatures said amen
and the elders fell down and worshiped.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is worship.
All of the heavens praise broke loose because the Lamb took the scroll from the Father's hand.
God's plan to set us free from sin and death would now be fulfilled.
And one day the Lamb will remove the sills from the scroll
and that will set in motion the events that will lead to Jesus returning to the earth
and establishing his kingdom.
But the rapture of the church, when Jesus will meet the church in the air
those who are Christians, that could happen at any time.
That could happen right now.
Jesus is coming back.
Nobody knows when.
And that's why it's so important that all of us be ready.
