The Church In Heaven

For the church. Now as you know we've been in the Book of Revelation and we've gone through the seven letters to the seven churches of Revelation in. So I finish that last week but I wanted to do one more sermon in this series. Because there's something very important that happens between chapter 3 and chapter 4 of Revelation. And what that event is is the rapture of the church and it occurs between chapter 3 and chapter 4 in the Book of Revelation, does not mention the Rapture directly, but it alludes to it. And so, what I want to do this morning is we're going to read chapter 4 of The Book of Revelation and I want to unpack. Is bass. I can. What all of this means for us. Those of us who are saved this morning, we're part of what's called The Universal Church. And starting beginning in chapter 4. John is going to see a vision of Heaven. That was future in his day. He wrote this around 90 to 100 AD, but it's still future in our day as well because the Rapture hasn't occurred yet so I want you to wrap your mind around this, if you can this morning, because what we're going to look at Is the church in heaven is in you in heaven. And that's the title, this message the church in heaven. What will the church see upon arrival in heaven, if you have your Bibles, I want you to turn to Revelation chapter 4. And let me read the entire chapters, only 11 verses. And when we read this, now you going to look at this and you going to say, well I don't understand what that is. There's a lot of different things in here. Lot of things happening here, but we'll come back and we'll unpack it all. And hopefully this message today because our world is so evil and so depraved, I hope this message today will give you hope and will give you confidence and Will Comfort your heart. And what we're going through today because things are going to be different and we're going to see that today. So let's begin Revelations 4:1 after these things. I looked after these thing after the letters to the churches, and after the Rapture, He says I looked and behold a door standing, open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet. Speaking with me saying, come up here and I will show you things which must take place after this. After the Rapture, the church is in heaven And John is told the Lord is saying. I'm going to show you things which must take place after the church is raptured in into heaven. Verse to immediately. I was in the spirit in the spiritual realm. He was transformed translated from Patmos into the spiritual realm to where he can actually see you in heaven, and look what he says and behold of Thrones set in heaven and one sat on the throne and he who set there was like a Jasper and a sardius stone in appearance. There was a rainbow around the throne in appearance, like an emerald around the throne with 24 Thrones and on the Thrones, on those 24, I saw 24 Elders sitting clothed in white robes and they had crowns of gold on their heads and from the throne proceeded lightning thunder, EZE and voices seven lamps of fire were burning Before the Throne. Which are the seven spirits of God, underlined that there, that seven spirits of God because I was talking about the Holy Spirit. So, John is looking into heaven, he sees God sitting on the throne and then he sees Before the Throne. The Holy Spirit, the church is in heaven. God is in heaven and the Holy Spirit is in heaven. Verse six Before. The Throne, there was a sea of glass like Crystal and in the midst of the throne and around the throne with four living creatures, full of eyes in front and in back that sounds like that would be scary. Look at this. The first living creature was like a line. The second living creature like a calf. The third living creature had a face like a man and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. the four living creatures each having six wings were full of eyes around and within, and they do not rest day or night saying holy holy, holy Lord, God Almighty, who was and is and is to come They never rest and four day and night. This is what they say. Can you imagine saying this right here? Holy holy, holy Lord, God Almighty who was and is and is to come

For over 2000 years now. never rest constantly in heaven saying this first night, Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 Elders, wonder who they are fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever and cast their crowns Before. The Throne saying, you are worthy O, Lord to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they exist and were created. so every time that the living creatures give glory and honor and thinks which is constantly The 24 Elders, Fall Down and Worship Him, and they cast their golden crowns Before the Throne constantly going on in her. Well, that's it. That's the entirety of chapter 4. And I'll probably if I was to ask every one of you in here, tell me what that means. We probably can get different answers because you, we have living creatures. And we had 24 elders, and we have eyes all around. And we have these Thrones, and we have these lamp Sapphire, and we have thundering and lightning. You say, what in the world does this mean? Well, The church is going to be removed from Earth somewhere after chapter 3. And before chapter 4. How do we know that? Well on the screen? We going to put a verse up here, Revelation 3:10 and I want you to look at it Revelation 3:10. This is what it said because you have kept my command to persevere. This is the letter to the church at Philadelphia because you have kept my command to persevere. I will also keep you from the hour of trial, which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth. What's the hour of trial? The hour of trial is the seven years of tribulation? And what does the Lord say here? To the church. I will keep you through it. No in it. No, I will keep you walk from it. I will keep you from it, kept from the trials, and tribulation only then to return with Christ to the Earth at the end of the tribulation period, which is priced second-coming happens. And the church will come back with him to set up his kingdom on Earth and Rule and Reign for 1000 years on this Earth. The charge will come with him, so he says I'm going to keep you from it. So that tells me there that the church is no longer on Earth. It is in heaven and it starts right here in chapter 4. So, here's the first point. Don't have the two points today. Number one, the church is exit from Earth. Now, remember the Rapture is not mentioned specifically in Revelation, but it's definitely alluded to the church is on Earth at the end of Revelation 3 because he had written the letters to the churches, but it's in heaven at beginning of Revelation, 4, and it got there. The way of the Rapture. So let me give you four points hear about the church's exit from Earth. And what we need to understand number one, is the sequence of events the sequence of events. Now, Revelation 119, Is a key verse in understanding the whole book of Revelation. So let's look at it. Revelation 1219. This is the Lord speaking to John, write the things which you have seen. So let's just stop right there. What did John see in the first chapter of the Book of Revelation? He saw a vision of Christ. We, we studied that one Wednesday night. Before we started the letters, he saw this vision of Christ, write the things, which you have seen the vision of Christ and the things which are with what were the things that are? That's the seven churches. The letters to the seven churches, write the things which are the way things are on earth. So he writes these letters to the seven churches and then he says and the same, which will take place after this. So what's John supposed to write something that's going to happen in the future? What he's talkin about is the Tribulation 7 years of gray or three and a half years The Great Tribulation seven years of tribulation and the Lord tells him you write about the vision of me, you write to the churches and now I want you to write the things which will be the things that's going to happen on this Earth after the church is taken away. And so Revelation 2 and 3 deals with the church owners Revelation 4 on word deals with what happens on Earth while the church is in heaven. So when you look at the Book of Revelation, when you read it, when you study, just understand when you get the tractor for that, the church is no longer on Earth, the church is in heaven. So everything from 4, through the chapter 22 is about judgment and the tribulation. So the sequence of events their number to orbi. There's another reason why we know that the church is in heaven. That's the silence concerning the church. Let me say it is the word church appears in Revelation 1 through 3 19 times. On Earth. It's talks about the church, we read the seven letters 19 times. He mentions the church from chapter 4 on where the church is never mentioned. Now, you know, that if all the bad things is going to happen in the tribulation. If the church is on Earth, surely John with the written, something about how we should live and what we, how we going to respond to all that? Never mentions the church again, after chapter 3. But why would that be? Because the church is in heaven, the rap. And remember what Christ words to the church is work, he who has an ear. Let him hear what the spirit says, to the churches, in verse in chapters 2 & 3 after that. You know what he says? If anyone has an ear, let him hear. Never says anything about Let the church is here. Because the church is in heaven. What? John is recording is not for the church on Earth. But whoever reads this Vision after the church has been raptured, you say wait a minute. If the church has been raptured and there's people on Earth. Those were the ones who didn't accept Christ, that's true. But in the tribulation. Would anyone be saved? Absolutely. Yes, they'll be many people saved in the majority of them will be martyred for their faith. But they'll be many people saved after the church is raptured, because there's going to be a 144,000 Jewish preachers that's going to go around preaching and people's going to accept Christ. And then, and if rice is going to say, well, if you're say, you need to take the mark of the beast, 666, if you don't, I'm not going to allow you to buy and sell and people won't take the mark and they'll either starve to death or they'll be martyred for their faith. That's exactly what's going to happen. But what I'm saying here at the church is never mentioned from 4 through 20, two chapters as being on Earth. See

The spirits transfer. To have in Revelation 2 and 3. The holy spirit is said to be in the midst of the churches. But look what it says in Revelation 4 verse 5.

It says, in from the phone for seeding lightning thunder and voices seven lamps are fire burning Before the Throne, which are the seven spirits of God. That's a way of saying that an allergy of the Holy Spirit, the seven spirits of God. So, we see that when the church is on Earth, the spirit is on Earth, but when the church is in heaven, where's the spirit is in heaven. Now, think about this. The spear is going to be active in the tribulation. Because people will get saved. But I want you to understand this, it's going to be like it's going to be more like the Old Testament times remembering the Old Testament before the church. The Holy Spirit, God will send the Holy Spirit upon people. He would send it upon David. It's in the spirit upon Solomon to empower them. And after they did what God wanted to do, the spirit would leave Boat in the tribulation. The spirit will be will come to earth when power these Jewish preachers and other people can visit them to believe, but he's not going to be in dwelling them, in living in them. Like he does the people of the church today because the church is going to be in heaven, and the spirit will be in heaven as well. So the spirit will be transferred you say, well, can you show me a text? That proves this other than this right here, that says, the seven spirits is in heaven and I can, it is 2nd Thessalonians 2 7 and 8. And I want you to look at this. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. That's talkin about just the evil and depravity that's in in the world today, only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Let me ask you this, who is it? That restrains evil in our world today, the Holy Spirit? You say, what? How does he do that? What he lives inside of us? As Believers as we pray and go around and do good. Things evil is restrain you say it. Don't look like it's restrain to me because the world is so evil. And depraved. What are you talkin about? The Holy Spirit is the restrainer it says, only he who now, restrains will do so until he's taking out a way. What does that mean? Holy spirit's going to heaven. Why is he going to have him? Because the church is going to happen. Now look what it says after that and then the Lawless one will be revealed who's All is one the Antichrist. Being the Antichrist will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and Destroy with the brightness of his coming. But the Bible clearly teaches here that the spirit is going to be taken out of the way, friends, I know that this world is evil. We all know that. Can you imagine when every single Christian is taking off this earth and the Holy Spirit goes to heaven to? Can you imagine what's going on in this world? I'm surprised it's going to take 7 years myself. So you just think about that and the Antichrist will have free reign to unleash hell on Earth and we think is chaotic on earth now, it will be nothing. It will be like a Sunday school get together. The way it is now compared the way it's going to be. When we all go to heaven, the church and the Holy Spirit, it will get bad quickly now. One more. I want the show you on, on the point and that is simply this, the similarities between scripture. Not what I mean, there is this Revelation for wanting to. 1st Thessalonians 4, which speaks of the Rapture in 1st Corinthians. 15 3, passages of scripture that's Blended together to give us the evidence that the Rapture will occur. Now look at it and Revelation for one. After these things I looked and behold the door standing open in heaven and the first W voice, which I heard the first voice. All right, the scripture I was calling about 1st Thessalonians 4:16 about the Rapture. Look at this for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the white voice. I'm an archangel. A voice John hears, a voice in Revelation 4 in here. The past is on the Rapture, the voice of an archangel. So, a boy something else, John here's looking verse one first, and the first voice with the herd was like, a white was like a trumpet. What does it say? A shout with the voice of an archangel and the W Trumpet Of God. We got her voice and we got a trumpet also. And then, what does it say? In verse of Revelation for immediately, I was in the, what the spirit John was immediately in the spirit. He found himself in a different dimension, a spiritual Dimension and friends. The same thing is going to happen when the Lord comes in Rapture his church home. What does it say? Look at 1st Corinthians. 15 53.

For this corruptible are corruptible body must put on W in corruption and this Mortal must put on immortality the dead in Christ will rise out of the Grave. Their bodies will go up and meet their spirit in the air. Something's going to change, we're going to put on incorruption. We're going to put on immortality in the Bible, says, in forever. We will be with the Lord. You see, this is what it's talking about, there's going to be a change, there's going to be a change in a similarity between the scripture. This is the church's exit from Earth. The sequence of events that's going to happen. The silence and Revelation about the church, the spirits transfer to heaven. And then of course the Rapture scriptures perfectly plays along right with this. That's the church's exit from Earth Point number two. I want to look at the church's existence. In heaven. So remember, Revelation 13. The church is where on Earth for through 22. Where is it in? Heaven, he says, it's through a door standing open, but John is able to see in Revelation 19 and the Lord comes back for his second coming. It says the armies which are in heaven will follow him upon white horses. Who's the armies in heaven, the church. We're going to follow him when he comes. So the door opens first for John to go up and then it's going to open the second time for Christ to come through and to come down to this one keyword. I want you to understand in the Book of Revelation is the word throne. Throne is a symbol of God's sovereignty, a symbol of his authority, God's sovereignty over the Earth is a great scene in The Book of Revelation, regardless of how chaotic things on earth, get God is ruling Over All. Does the bible say that? It's the his very Throne. We are encouraged to come to to find grace and mercy in time of need John sees this Throne the very Throne that we will ask the Lord for mercy and Grace when we need it. The very Throne that we will gather around as the church and sing and praise God in heaven. So it's a throne. But what I want you to understand beginning in chapter for this Throne is no longer a fire of throne of grace. And mercy, it is a throne of judgment. Because God is getting ready to bring judgment on this Earth. Everything that happens in the rest of Revelation is based on the centrality of God's throne and judge for. Let's look closely at this wrong because it gives us a lot of information of wasps in and around this drone and let's see if we can understand it. So number one seated, upon the throne, look at it and verse two and three immediately I was in the spirit and behold of Thrones set in heaven and one sat on the throne that Watch what it says about him. He was set there and he said and he who sat there was like a Jasper and a sardius stone in appearance. What's Jasper in Sardis? The only time he's ever used in Scripture. What what is that? Well, we know it to be precious stones this right here or scribes. Radiance and Worth to the father who is on the throne. Remember, God is Spirit. He has no physical body. So in John, saw this God sitting on the throne, he didn't see a person. He saw Radiance gory, he saw a term that he described like visual radius. You ever heard someone say that they died went to heaven and they saw this bright light. Well, that makes sense. You can't see God. God doesn't have a body, he Spirit, but you can see his glory and Radiance and it would probably be almost be blinding. And this is what John said that he saw. So we see God sitting on the throne will what else do we see? Well what is it? That's surrounding the throne. Look at it in verse 3 it says here and there was a rainbow around the throne in appearance like an emerald When do we, when did we see a rainbow before in the Old Testament? In Genesis, right in Genesis, the rainbow was reminder. That meant God would never judge the Earth again by a flood. Every time you see a rainbow, you ought to think that God never going to judge this Earth by flood like he did before, but this rainbow around the throne is reminder. That God is a covenant, keeping God. And what he says he will do, he will do when we get to heaven, we going to see a rainbow around the throne. That's going to tell us that God is faithful. He is just, he is true. He is transparent. He always does what he says he will do. So we see God on the throne, we see a rainbow C. Sitting around the throne. Not look at this in verse 4. Around the throne. We're 24 Thrones. in on the Thrones, I saw 24 Elder sitting How do we know who these? Elders are? What we know but what they have on, look what it says. Clothed in white robes and they had crowns of gold. On their heads. These Elders, 24 elders. Represent. The church. This is the church in heaven. How do we know that? About what they say, you say well what do they say we're in chapter 4, just look at 5:8.

Look at what they say in verse 8, through 10. Now when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures, and the 24 Elders, fell down before the lamp each having a heart golden bowls. Full of incense which are the prayers of the Saints and they sang a new song saying you are worthy to take the scroll into open and sealed for you or slang. And you have what redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation and have made us Kings. And Priests I got and we shall reign on the Earth. These Elders identify with the lower because you have redeemed us who has the Lord redeem, the church. If you are saved this morning, you're part of The Universal Church. You were Redeemed by the blood of Christ. That's what the church is going to sit. Here, in the song, we're going to sing in heaven. I mean, if you want to know what you going to do with Evan, I cannot tell you right now, this is a song that you're going to sing. You have redeemed us to God by your blood. That's what we going to say he's talkin about the church and the elders declare that they shall reign on earth. When we when are we going to do that when Christ comes back? The second time he says you shall Rule and reign with me for a thousand years. This is talking about the church. We know that by the phrase of their lips but was also know it by the clothes on their body. It says, here closed in white roads. The Bible says, when we return to it with the Lord at the second coming, that the armies in heaven will be dressed in fine, linen, white and clean. The church is going to follow the lord on a white horse and we're going to be in fine, linen, white and clean. We are his wife. We are the bride of Christ, and the elders and Saints are in white linen because they represent the church in heaven. During the tribulation, how often? We know, these Elders are the church cuz of the crown on their head. They said they were wearing crowns of gold on their heads. Now, here's what this means. There's two Greek words for for Crown. One is where we get our word dye them. The Greek word is D, onimus. It is a crown that a king wears. A king who rules. But the Greek word for Crown here used is not the item has. It is Stephen Austin. Stephen us was the crown. That people who participated in the Greek and Roman games when they would win a an event, they were given a Stephen off. That's the Victor's Crown. Not the king leak route, the Victor's Crown, you see in heaven, the church is sitting on the throne, not as the king cuz Jesus is the king. We're sitting on the throne because he has given me victory over death, hell and the grave, and we're in heaven because of his grace and mercy. And when we cast our crowns at the throne the Crown's, we cast our the Victor Crown. We are on the right side. Let me just say that we're on The Winning Side. It may not feel like it but we are on the winning side and at this point the church has been judged and rewarded at this point. Old Testament Saints, they'll not be judged until the second coming. So these crowned Elders can represent no one else but the church they represent everyone who has believed in Christ since the beginning of the church and they will be raptured to heaven. And remember to the church at laodicea and Smyrna, the church was promised, I will give you a throne to sit on beside me. Don't let anyone steal your crown and he told laodicea it. You need to close yourself and white garments. Who is he talking to that? He was talkin to the church and the church gets all three Thrones, crowns and white garment, this the elders. Represent the chart d. Sounding forth from the throne. Look what it says in verse 5 from the throne preceded lightning and thundering and voices. Now this is reminiscent of Moses on Mount Sinai when he received the law from God, this just what this represent. I've, I believe is just the awesomeness of God and giving the law. And then here in heaven meeting out judgment because Humanity has broken his loss, And this is what's going to happen and God's throne in Revelation. 4 through 19 is a throne of judgment night of Grace. Judgment is getting ready to come upon this Earth. It when John saw God's throne in the awesome sights and sounds, can you that judgment was coming? But remember the 24 Elders? The church is safely in heaven and we will not have to go through that e.e. What is it the spread Before the Throne in verse 6 Before the Throne there was a sea of glass like Crystal, we don't exactly know what that means, but it's kind of similar to what Moses and Aaron and the 70 elders of Israel saw as they approached God. This is what it says. In Exodus 24-10. There was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone and it was like the very heavens and its clarity

So we see, we see all this like, glass crystal in heaven. Well, what else do we see f? Situated in the midst of the stone, we see four living creatures. Look at it. Second part of verse 6, through 8 and around the throne. There were four living creatures, full of eyes and front, and in back, the first living creature was like a line. The second like a calf, the third, like, face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle and they had six wings full of eyes, and they don't rest day or night, and there's what they say we've already read that. This reminds us of the four creatures that is Ezekiel Saw in Ezekiel chapter 10. And here's what Ezekiel said he said, one was like a cherub. What a man want to line and one an eagle exactly like this and then Ezekiel says they were all terrible. What's a chairman an angel? These. Our angels in heaven. And I think these are the four angels that God is going to get to carry out his judgment. Remember when he starts opening the bowls in the vial to Trumpets and all the Judgment, these are the Angels I believe that's going to carry out his judgment on Earth. These four living creatures are the Agents of judgment and their standing in the throne room of God saying, holy, holy, holy Lord, God Almighty, who was and is and is to come, until he gives them the directive to go and start pouring out judgement on Earth. Well, let's go to G. What else is going on? Singing to the one on the throne. Look at it in verses 9 through 11. Whenever the living creatures, the Angels give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne who lives forever and ever the 24 Elders, fall down before him. What am I going to do in heaven? You going to fall down before him who sits on the throne and you going to worship Him who lives forever and ever and you're going to cast your crowns Before the Throne and this is what you're going to say. You are worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they exist and were created worship, the glory and honor and thanks to God and it causes the church to fall down before him who sits on the throne. And it says that we were cast their crowns Before the Throne and we will address God. Directly look. Look how how we say in verse 11 we say you are worthy. Oh Lord. What? This is something like a Heavenly Choir and John sees it through this open door. God is about to judge the Earth but before doing so the four living creatures point out to the church. He's the one who created this Earth. He made all things and he has a right to judge this Earth. And we hear that and we fall and cast are crowns and praise and thank God in the midst of the thundering and lightning. Can you imagine what this scene is going to be like, we're talkin millions and millions and millions of people? Singing in unison. You are worthy. Oh, Lord. Can you imagine how loud that will be? You say, well, the elders. Praise God. The church speaking directly to him, you are worthy. But the creatures just say, holy holy, holy Lord God they don't speak to God, they just speak about God. Why is that? Why do we speak to him? And they just kind of seeing about it. They don't really address him in the second person. Like we do, you are worthy where there's one reason for that. Angels aren't saved. The blood of Christ didn't say the Angels, they were created at the at the beginning and they still exist. But we have something that we can look at God and sing about. You see, those who have been saved from seeing, don't sing praises about God. We sing praises to God because we know him as our father, we worship him. We know the value of the blood of Christ and we praise him and second person terms you Lord, are holy and righteous. Can you imagine This scene in heaven. And something I thought about several years ago. It will close with this. It's just overwhelming to me. John was told to write. the things which will be and then he was given a vision to look into heaven and he saw the elders, the church. Praising God. What John saw? Was in the future. But it's also still in the future. Because we haven't been raptured yet. So what he saw is still yet future not only to John but to us. But here's what I want you to think about. when John saw this vision,

if you're saved this morning, he saw you Think about that. He saw you. In heaven. Praising God, because the vision he saw was future, it's even future to us. So if if he'd had an iPhone and God would have said John I want you to snap a picture of this and he would have snapped a picture. You could have seen you. You were there before you were born. Think about that. The picture in heaven, that John saw. He saw all the church who will ever be safe. Who will ever be in heaven? And that means us. Befall us. We've been having and don't even know it beats all Us in heaven. Praising God. So I want to ask you this as we close. Can you praise God.

In second person terms. Can you say? Yes, Lord you are my Lord and Savior today, can you talk directly to God? Or can you only talk about God?

If you've been saved, you can talk to God and you can say, you are worthy. O Lord. Amen. Let's pray. Father, we thank you, and praise you. Love you today, Lord, for your word. Lord, we know that this was a difficult passage Lord. I pray that I was able to articulate Lord, what this is saying, what it means. Lord, it ought to encourage our hearts today. Lord that no matter how bad things get on this Earth. Lord, that we need to be encouraged or we need to live with confidence in this world because we know that you are sovereign that you control it all and we may not know what this world is coming to as far as economics. But we know what is coming to spiritually is coming to Jesus and one day he's going to ride through this church off this Earth. We going to be with him in heaven, and praise God. We're going to come back with him on his second coming and we're going to rule and reign with him for a Years on this Earth. Lord. Thank you for the encouragement of scripture. I pray that it will bless our hearts today. Forcing Christ name. I do pray. Amen. All right. It was. Thank you for being here today.