WEEP NO MORE...BEHOLD JESUS

Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor

Grace Church, Sunday Worship

Revelation 5

March 28th, 2010 (Palm Sunday)

 

 

Lord's Prayer - "Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.."

 
Putting yourself in John's shoes..
- All his friends have been martyred 
- Many are turning away from the faith
- Jews attack, heretics attack, Romans attack

Here is a vision:
 
Revelation 5:1-14  Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.  (2)  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"  (3)  And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it,  (4)  and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.  (5)  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."  (6)  And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.  (7)  And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.  (8)  And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  (9)  And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,  (10)  and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."  (11)  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,  (12)  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!"  (13)  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!"  (14)  And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Weep no more...behold the Lion and the Lamb
God calls us to live with one leg in heaven and one on earth. Or put another way, our head and chest are to be stretched into the heavenlies (not a spacial place some where else) and our feet, legs and lower torso are on earth feeling the pain and horror around us. 
 
Living between two worlds
- suffering and singing
- ministering and worshiping
- bloody and healed
- hurting and hopeful
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" - Matt 5:4

Sorrowful but always rejoicing...poor yet making many rich...having nothing yet possessing everything.
 
"If you have been raised with Christ, see those things which are above..." Col 3:1
"But we look not to the things which are seen but not seen...2 Cor 4
  
Lucy and Susan in Narnia after Aslan died

Why do weep? Because we liven in a broken down house...we do not live in Shaloam 
 
Why was John weeping - No one able to open the scroll. No one able to bring history to its proper destination. No one to vindicate his suffering and the life that he invested in - the Kingdom of God could not come. The martyrs blood would not be vindicated. 
  
Would we weep or is our hope not in the kingdom of God but in our own little kingdoms that we make? We do weep because we feel first hand in different ways the effects of the brokenness of this world. Things are not as they were meant to be.
  
No one is worthy to usher in the future of God's glorious judgment except one:
Weep no more! Behold!

Behold what? Who? Look at Jesus.
 
Behold the conqueror - WE WIN IN THE END.
 
His Names and Descriptions and Accomplishments:
Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David
 - able to open the seals and be honored as king of all
- Will make his people priests and kings to God
Revelation 22:16  "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."
Revelation 19:11-16  Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.  (12)  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.  (13)  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.  (14)  And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.  (15)  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.  (16)  On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Lamb
 - was slain and ransomed people
John 1:29  The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
1 Peter 1:17-21  And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,  (18)  knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,  (19)  but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.  (20)  He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you  (21)  who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
 - Seven horns and seven eyes - symbols of authority/power and all-knowledge 

Revelation 17:14  They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."

His Worshipers:

24 ELDERS
(4)  Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 

(10)  the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne
4 LIVING CREATURES
And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:  (7)  the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.  (8)  And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within
MYRIADS OF ANGELS
(11)  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,  
EVERY CREATURE
(13)  And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them,

Beholding the worshipers should make us be in awe. Not awe of the worshipers but of the worshiped.

Revelation 7:9-12  After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,  (10)  and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"  (11)  And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,  (12)  saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

CONCLUSION

We move into HOLY WEEK very realistic. We live in a sinfully bad world. The prince of the power of the earth is still loose. He is called the God of this world. He is compared to a roaring lion. The whole creation aches with longing for a restoration. We grieve, we moan, we mourn, we long for something different. 
  
We coming into this week looking to JESUS. Behold the Lion and the Lamb. Live this week and the rest of your life based on the reality of Jesus. He is a sacrificial Lamb who has and will conquer. 
  
We are to live with one foot on earth and one in heaven - with our eyes fixed on the King. His Spirit makes this possible because He dwells in us. He has given us the new birth and assists us in our prayers, our actions... He is the one that allows us to CONQUER. As is seen in Revelation 2-3.