The Worship of Jesus
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
Tonight we will try to cover Revelation chapter 5.
In this chapter the events that begin the end of this world begin to unfold.
John is still in the throne room, and watching these things unfold before His eyes.
Remember that what John sees now has not happened yet. This is a vision of the beginning of God’s wrath being poured out upon the earth for judgement.
God will judge the wicked, he will judge Satan and His angels, and He will bring an end to history as we know it.
This judgement that is coming upon the world is represented by a scroll that John sees in the hand of God who sits on the throne.
Revelation 5:1 “I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.”
The right hand is a symbol of what? Authority and power
Who has the scroll?
What does that tell us about the judgement that is coming upon the world that God hold the scroll in His right hand?
God the Father controls and initiates the tribulation that is coming. No one could make it come any quicker, and nothing could delay it. He will initiate in His chosen perfect time.
Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
And this scroll is sealed with seven seals which symbolize its contents being sealed shut until and secret.
In those days, messages were often delivered by scroll. And a king had a signet ring in which he would dip in hot wax to seal up his message.
When the recipient received the message they would know no one had tampered with it if the king’s seal was still in tact.
Those are the kinds of seals John sees on the scroll.
Revelation 5:2–5 “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.””
The angel asks who is worthy to open the scroll
And as John looks around he sees no one and begins to weep because no one was found worthy both in heaven and on earth.
“Worthy” here means “comparable” or “sufficient” in authority as the Oner who hold the scroll.
And if you look back at the end of chapter to what the 24 elder said to God: “Worthy are You, our Lord, and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed and were created”
QUESTION: From verses 2-5 can you tell my why Jesus is worthy to receive the scroll?
He has overcome death
Only Jesus is worthy because only he has triumphed over death, only He has endured the cross to take the sins of the world upon Himself so that we could be saved.
Only the blood perfect blood of the Lamb of God could take away the sins of the world.
Only by that blood can our stains be washed away, and forgiveness be given
Salvation can be found in no one other than Jesus.
Application:
Here is one the great Christian paradoxes: Victory comes by apparent defeat.
Satan thought he was becoming victorious by placing Jesus on the cross, but it led to His own defeat.
And it is true for us, that when we “give up our lives” stop trying to fight and lead ourselves, stop trying to figure things out and hand over our lives to God that we actually find life
John 12:25 ““He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.”
It is submission to God even when it looks like defeat to the world that always brings victory
Revelation 5:6–10 “And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.””
“The prayers of the saints”
We talked about a sweet smelling aroma to God on Sunday. The sacrifices in the OT parallel to our sacrificial love today. They are like a sweet aroma before God.
But here the elders have bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints.
Who are the saints? WE ARE
Did you ever think of your prayers as like sweet incense rising up to God each and every day?
Application:
It is a reminder of not only how welcome our prayers are, but that they play an important role in His plans for this world.
One commentator said, prayer is one of the laws by which God rules the universe.
Prayer changes things.
There are things we will not receive or experience until we have asked for them in prayer.
They Sang a new song
These are the creatures who are before the throne of God we saw in chapter 4 and the 24 elders
This is what they sang to God in chapter 4:8 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come
Now in chapter 5 they sing to Jesus: “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
These heavenly beings who worshiped God on the throne now worship Jesus Christ.
God was worshipped because he was the created who sustained His creation
Jesus is worship because He is the Redeemer who redeems His creation.
QUESTION: What do these verses teach us about those who have been purchased by the blood of Jesus?
ANSWER: They are from every tribe, tongue, people
They are a kingdom of people
Those under one rule
This kingdom follows the Lamb
They are priests
They are in service for God just like the levites in the OT priesthood
From witnessing to people to serving in ministry, those redeemed are called to serve
They will reign upon the earth
There is coming a day when we will reign upon this earth fully in God’s kingdom
Not a spiritual, distant, place, but on this earth.
A redeemed earth freed from sin and in the presence of God as it was in the garden of Eden
Revelation 5:11–14 “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.”
The Trinity
What we see clearly is the worship of Jesus equal to the worship of God Almighty by the heavenly beings
In chapter 22 John sees and angel and falls down to worship him but the angel tells him not to do that because he is a fellow servant.
Here the worship of Jesus is clear and is an example for us all to follow
God is trinitarian meaning He is 3 in one. He consists of 3 persons in 1 God. He is not 3 gods, but one God. And he is not one God who manifests in different persons.
Jesus and God are One, butt hey are not the same person.
Many people in the world stumble over the worship of Jesus as equal to God the Father. But that is exactly what the Bible teaches.
And if you ask the Jehovah witnesses if they worship Jesus they will tell you NO! Because they do not believe that Jesus is God.
Isaiah 9:6 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.””
John 10:29–30 ““My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.””
Psalm 110:1 “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.””