WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.599 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:20.480 ! It is wonderful that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:25.679 either by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray for us 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:32.159 that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself? 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:37.359 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:42.159 we really, I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:48.799 Bible, they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will do 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:55.120 what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a non-Christian, 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:00.320 checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't hesitate to send us 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:05.280 questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the types of things 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:07.759 that you're really struggling with. So God bless. 00:01:12.479 --> 00:01:19.519 I'll ask you to turn to the last book of the Bible, to Revelation. No S on the end, by the way, please. 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:26.000 Don't put an S on the end. The book of Revelation. And if you have your Bibles, you will be very helpful. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:33.920 You will help because I'm going to go through chapters four and five. We didn't read five because 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:40.479 it might have been a little bit long, but we need to go into five because you see Jesus in chapter five 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:47.920 in a most wonderful way. This passage that we heard today, it follows three chapters at the beginning 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:54.480 of Revelation that are letters to churches. And those churches are not perfect churches. 00:01:55.040 --> 00:02:02.320 In fact, they're called to repentance quite often. And everything from falling into the morality of the 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:10.879 times to being lukewarm towards God, saying, you need to be zealous. You need to be hot towards God. 00:02:11.359 --> 00:02:19.280 And calling them in grace to repentance. So you have the, you know, you have God speaking to us in earth, 00:02:19.519 --> 00:02:25.840 the things, the nitty gritty, the messiness of our church life. And then all of a sudden in chapter four, 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:36.560 we actually see God reveal a glorious vision of himself. And I think Revelation and this chapter, 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:45.439 as it's opening heaven to us, is like a wake-up call, a spiritual wake-up call for us. I was staying 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:53.680 in a downtown hotel last night. And this morning I got up to take a much needed shower. And I went in 00:02:53.680 --> 00:03:00.960 and it was cold water. And I thought, it's going to get hot. I know it. So I actually went and walked 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:05.439 around the room for a couple of minutes waiting for it to get hot. And I came back still cold. 00:03:06.480 --> 00:03:13.280 So I made a decision. Do I do the cold plunge or do I come to Messiah Church looking pretty messy and 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:22.480 dirty? I chose the cold plunge. And I tell you what, it is very, very clarifying. 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:31.360 I felt my mind clear. I felt very, very much awake and alive. There is something about cold plunges, 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:36.879 I think. Now there's a good, there's a happy ending to the story is the water finally came. I guess it was 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:43.360 the end of the hot water pipe for my room. And I had hot water at the end and stayed a little longer 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:52.159 underneath there to thaw. So I'm glad I made it today. But I think that picture is what this chapter, 00:03:52.159 --> 00:04:01.039 these two chapters do for us spiritually. It is clarifying. It braces us. It invigorates us 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:08.960 towards God. We see the reality of who God is in the midst of a world that has all kinds of powerful 00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:16.879 forces that are kind of swirling around us. We can lose sight of the reality. We can be sleepy 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:26.240 towards the Lord Jesus. And so chapter four, I want you to turn there because we go from earth to heaven 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:34.199 in this vision. And those words say, behold, a door standing open in heaven. Josiah read that very well 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:41.000 because he was enthusiastic. There is a door opening in heaven. And the voice says, come up here and I 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:49.639 will show you what must take place after this. Now it's important for us to know that heaven is opened. 00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:59.000 It's not as though heaven is a long ways away. In the Bible, heaven is close to us. We cannot see heaven. 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:05.540 It is as though there is a curtain kind of thing. But we are going along our life and all of history 00:05:05.540 --> 00:05:13.759 alongside that curtain that is where heaven is behind that we cannot see. It is very close. Heaven can break 00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:20.959 into this world at a moment's notice. We are actually brought into heaven by the Lord Jesus as well into 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:28.180 the very throne room of God. This is the gift of Jesus, our high priest. And so the reality of heaven 00:05:28.180 --> 00:05:37.220 heaven surrounds us. And that is the thing that encompasses all of the great powers and forces 00:05:37.220 --> 00:05:48.620 in this world right now. Back in the 50s and 60s, there was a space race, as you remember, especially 00:05:48.620 --> 00:05:56.800 between the Soviet Union and the United States. And who were the first human beings in space? It was the 00:05:56.800 --> 00:06:06.500 Soviet cosmonauts. And famously, the first one came back and in Moscow did a press conference and said, 00:06:06.840 --> 00:06:15.139 we went up to heaven and we discovered that there is no God. Well, they misunderstood heaven, didn't they? 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:22.480 In fact, one wit said, well, if they had taken off their helmet and air tank, they would have seen God 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:33.400 very, very quickly and very clearly as well. And that is the reality of heaven. Because what we're doing 00:06:33.400 --> 00:06:41.300 here is as we normally, as we look what we normally cannot see in this world, we are actually seeing 00:06:41.300 --> 00:06:49.200 spiritually the truth that surrounds us. Look at verse 2 in this wonderful chapter. Behold, here's what we see. 00:06:49.199 --> 00:07:00.120 There stood in heaven a throne with one who is seated at the throne. If you don't remember any other verse, 00:07:00.539 --> 00:07:10.060 remember this one. Because this is the point of the sermon. There is a living being that occupies 00:07:10.060 --> 00:07:20.720 that throne. And look at verse 8. Who occupies the throne? It's not you. It's not me. It's not our prime 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:27.840 minister. It's not a dictator. It's not the most powerful force in this world. It is the Lord God 00:07:27.840 --> 00:07:33.779 Almighty. That is who is on the throne. And we could try to put other people on it or other people could 00:07:33.779 --> 00:07:43.139 put themselves on it. But the truth is this verse. The Lord God Almighty is on the throne. And in verse 11, 00:07:43.219 --> 00:07:50.819 you see that he created the universe and actively rules all things. He decides what will happen in 00:07:50.819 --> 00:07:56.859 this world. And he hasn't given up on this world. He hasn't given up on this church that had all its 00:07:56.860 --> 00:08:03.680 problems that was being written to at the beginning of Revelation either. He hasn't disowned the people 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:12.500 whose hearts are far away from him that are lukewarm. Instead, his will, which is good and perfect, 00:08:13.259 --> 00:08:20.860 is going to take place, is taking place in this world. And his good purposes will be accomplished. 00:08:20.860 --> 00:08:27.860 So if you remember, one thing from this passage is this scene. God is on the throne. 00:08:29.860 --> 00:08:35.759 And I think for those first people who are reading this letter, it was tremendously important. 00:08:36.419 --> 00:08:42.940 Because there were other thrones in their mind. They were living in a time where they were seeing 00:08:42.940 --> 00:08:50.840 the splendor of Greek and Roman achievement and power and religion. And that could very 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:59.000 easily influence and even intimidate them as well. There was immense wealth in the Roman Empire. 00:08:59.639 --> 00:09:06.759 There was immense wealth associated with idol worship, that you could get money, the things that you 00:09:06.759 --> 00:09:14.080 wanted. Caesar's power was awesome. He ruled the known world as well. And he was worshipped. 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:21.660 And the Romans built, of course, beautiful cities and temples and statues that spoke to the glory of Rome. 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:28.540 And of course, the Greek religions represented beautiful people. They were represented by beautiful people. 00:09:29.420 --> 00:09:34.020 And they had the most impressive temples that were the wonders of the world. 00:09:34.019 --> 00:09:40.659 And that would amaze us today if we saw them intact and new. It's amazing when they're ruins. 00:09:41.379 --> 00:09:45.279 My wife and I went to Athens for our honeymoon. 00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:48.659 And 25 years ago, exactly. 00:09:48.659 --> 00:09:55.759 And we saw the Parthenon dedicated to the goddess Athena. 00:09:56.019 --> 00:10:01.179 It's beautiful. It's incredibly impressive, even though it's ruined. 00:10:01.179 --> 00:10:13.239 And you can imagine how it was to see it gleaming, white, new, golden, dominating the land for many miles. 00:10:13.819 --> 00:10:20.319 You know, from the world's perspective, the God of the Bible could not come close to comparing to that. 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:23.179 It looked like that's what true glory was. 00:10:23.179 --> 00:10:32.599 And certainly for us here in the center of our nation's capital, here in Ottawa, we can be deeply impressed by political power. 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:43.239 And certainly the purse strings of a very wealthy country, when you consider the rest of the world, can do many wonderful things. 00:10:43.599 --> 00:10:45.379 And it does give power as well. 00:10:45.379 --> 00:10:55.379 We can place great faith in institutions that are built to last, like universities and hospitals, successful corporations, businesses. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:59.340 All of these are very, very good things. 00:10:59.659 --> 00:11:07.399 But our culture can be captivated by these strong and beautiful things. 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:10.159 Even by people, celebrities. 00:11:11.100 --> 00:11:13.519 Our culture worships as well. 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:21.039 But this passage throws cold water on that as a wake-up call. 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:23.799 There is much more to reality than this. 00:11:24.539 --> 00:11:29.919 None of this, this powerful things that we see, the beauty that we see in this world, 00:11:30.419 --> 00:11:39.919 can come close to the beauty of the power and the goodness of the God who sits on the throne, who is over all things. 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:43.860 That's why the next verses are given to us here. 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:44.740 Look at verse 3. 00:11:46.139 --> 00:11:51.879 It says this one who occupied the throne had the appearance of Jasper and Carnelian. 00:11:52.500 --> 00:11:58.579 These are two of the most precious and beautiful gems that were known at that time. 00:11:58.580 --> 00:12:03.639 And so there were symbols of the magnificent beauty of God. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:05.520 His glory. 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:11.860 And it's something that John couldn't describe, so he chose those gems as a symbol. 00:12:12.740 --> 00:12:15.520 And then he describes that around the throne there's a rainbow, 00:12:15.980 --> 00:12:23.020 which is the beautiful sign of God's mercy and his love for the world in his judgment, 00:12:23.019 --> 00:12:27.559 in promising not to destroy it, but instead that it would be redeemed. 00:12:28.220 --> 00:12:33.679 This loving commitment to creation that he himself brought into being. 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:38.439 And then there are these flashes of lightning as we come down here, the verses. 00:12:39.079 --> 00:12:42.059 There's rumblings and these peals of thunder. 00:12:42.059 --> 00:12:52.879 And that refers to the powerful and right judgment of the world that God himself will bring about. 00:12:53.739 --> 00:12:59.619 That God's perfect and holy judgment is what comes at the end of human history 00:12:59.619 --> 00:13:05.519 and brings, as we're going to find later on, the new heaven and the new earth. 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:14.220 And all of that beauty, that mercy, that love, that perfect judgment, that glory, 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:22.980 is reflected and magnified by a pure glassy sea, which we all sang about, around the glassy sea. 00:13:23.159 --> 00:13:28.019 It's like a mirror that's reflecting that for us to see. 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:32.559 And it's really interesting, the result of it. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:35.879 I want you to look further down here. 00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:43.399 It says here that his beauty actually gathers creation around the throne. 00:13:44.319 --> 00:13:48.739 Look, the 24 elders with crowns are worshipping. 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:54.639 And those 24 elders represent the 12 tribes of Israel, 00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:58.639 who were the people of God before Jesus. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:02.179 And they also represent the 12 apostles, 00:14:02.539 --> 00:14:06.559 which are the people of God that are redeemed by the Lord Jesus 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:10.659 after his resurrection and ascension into heaven. 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:14.740 So they symbolize all the people of God throughout all ages. 00:14:15.580 --> 00:14:19.759 And they are gathered by God. 00:14:20.299 --> 00:14:22.360 Then you see the rest of creation. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:24.759 And I want you to look at this picture here. 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:30.340 This is something that maybe the kids should be drawing down in Sunday school as well. 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:35.039 So if you look down here, it says that in verse 7, 00:14:35.580 --> 00:14:38.259 the first living creature looked like a lion. 00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:41.919 And that is the strength of humanity. 00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:46.039 It's talking about the power that can be shown in creation. 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:54.719 It talks about the nobility of the human life is what the lion was. 00:14:55.419 --> 00:14:56.240 And then the ox. 00:14:56.319 --> 00:15:01.159 The ox is the one who focuses completely on just brute strength, 00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:07.000 the kind of power that can accomplish all kinds of things that can overcome. 00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:13.699 And then you have the picture of the third living creature is a face of a man. 00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:16.879 That is the wisdom of creation. 00:15:17.580 --> 00:15:24.940 Speaking about the wisdom of human accomplishment and learning and understanding. 00:15:25.660 --> 00:15:27.640 And then the last is that of an eagle. 00:15:27.900 --> 00:15:33.960 It is the movement of humanity, of creation, the significance of it being in motion. 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:39.900 And so you see that all of this creation, the fullness of creation, 00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:44.240 are saying together in verse 8 at the end, 00:15:44.840 --> 00:15:52.500 holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. 00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:55.700 You know, in the communion service, we say that. 00:15:56.160 --> 00:15:58.840 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. 00:15:58.840 --> 00:15:59.840 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:06.080 And that is us joining the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. 00:16:06.180 --> 00:16:11.200 We are brought into heaven as we are singing and saying that song. 00:16:11.980 --> 00:16:16.700 This is what all of creation is being gathered to. 00:16:17.580 --> 00:16:19.240 To enjoy God. 00:16:19.420 --> 00:16:20.420 To worship him. 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:24.660 To glorify him forever as well. 00:16:24.659 --> 00:16:27.439 That is our great purpose. 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:29.319 That is our great purpose. 00:16:30.899 --> 00:16:40.379 In a world that often has powerful rulers that are incredibly imperfect. 00:16:41.019 --> 00:16:47.240 And maybe today we have the best examples of imperfect leaders that we've had in quite some time. 00:16:48.199 --> 00:16:49.879 How is power used? 00:16:50.039 --> 00:16:51.339 How is wisdom used? 00:16:52.179 --> 00:16:53.480 How is self-giving? 00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:58.740 How is the desire to see peace and the goodness in people? 00:16:58.820 --> 00:17:00.360 How is that being carried out? 00:17:01.259 --> 00:17:10.860 You will never find the combination of who God is and all of his goodness and his glory and right judgment and love. 00:17:11.299 --> 00:17:18.200 You will never find that on earth in the perfect, the perfection of what you are seeing in heaven. 00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:30.400 It can only be a very imperfect and grainy sort of reflection of the reality of who God is for us. 00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:31.620 Look at verse 8. 00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:34.559 The perfectly holy and almighty God is on the throne. 00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:35.759 He always was. 00:17:36.080 --> 00:17:36.920 He is. 00:17:37.340 --> 00:17:38.779 He always will be. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:44.180 He surrounds time and all leaders and all powers. 00:17:44.180 --> 00:17:50.279 Which means only he could create the world and all that is in it. 00:17:50.320 --> 00:17:59.240 The most beautiful and powerful things that we can see or imagine in this world can't compare to the God who sits on the throne. 00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:03.839 And so that's why creation gives thanks to God continually. 00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:09.359 You know, worthy are you, God, almighty, to receive glory and honor and power. 00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:25.059 So I think this tells us something about ourself is that the reality of life, of your life and the life of this world is that at the center of heaven is God himself gathering people to himself. 00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:29.199 This gathering is a reflection of that as well. 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:45.819 And the amazing thing is that God who is that powerful and glorious and created the world and sustains it, he personally has your purpose, the purpose of your life in his will and in his purpose as well. 00:18:46.360 --> 00:18:50.700 Your deep purpose is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. 00:18:50.700 --> 00:19:12.220 Your creation, you being created, is the act of deep, deep love and kindness to you by God who created you to gather you to himself and to gather those outside Messiah church to God who loved them and created them as well. 00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:14.860 And this is the awesome truth. 00:19:14.859 --> 00:19:37.099 And this brings us to the last chapter, chapter 5, because the goodness of God is that he gathers us, but that goodness goes even deeper in chapter 5 in that not only does he create and sustain us for himself, but he also redeems all things as well. 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:39.019 He redeems all things. 00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:40.939 And that's what chapter 5 is all about. 00:19:40.940 --> 00:19:46.019 That word redemption is very, very important. 00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:50.420 It means that you are released from a slavery. 00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:54.700 You are released from a bondage to sin and to death. 00:19:55.220 --> 00:19:58.519 And that you are brought into the freedom of a new life. 00:19:59.220 --> 00:20:03.720 And that freedom involves the Lord Jesus himself. 00:20:04.380 --> 00:20:05.640 It is all about him. 00:20:06.059 --> 00:20:07.460 I want you to look at verse 5. 00:20:07.460 --> 00:20:13.460 John is deeply, deeply, deeply pained. 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:17.960 He is weeping because nobody is there to open a scroll. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:23.759 And he knows that scroll has everything to do with God's purposes for humanity. 00:20:24.860 --> 00:20:28.079 And in verse 5, God wipes away his tears. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:32.579 And the voice says to John, weep no more. 00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:37.740 Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:39.879 And he can open this scroll. 00:20:40.879 --> 00:20:48.639 And John turns and he expects to see a powerful conquering figure like this lion of Judah. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:51.440 But instead, what does he see in verse 6? 00:20:52.300 --> 00:20:54.220 He sees a lamb. 00:20:54.780 --> 00:20:58.920 Not just a lamb, but a lamb as though it had been slain. 00:20:59.360 --> 00:21:02.160 With seven horns and seven eyes. 00:21:02.900 --> 00:21:04.440 Now, you can't draw that picture. 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:06.780 If you tried to, it would be very, very difficult. 00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:08.900 I'd like to see what you came up with. 00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:19.519 And that's because those pictures of eyes and horns actually are speaking to the nature of the Lord Jesus. 00:21:19.880 --> 00:21:21.640 The horns are a sign of power. 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:24.460 And that seven is complete power. 00:21:25.259 --> 00:21:30.240 And the eyes are the sign of all-knowing as well. 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:36.779 So, you see, the weakness and sacrifice of the lamb, of the death of the lamb of Jesus, 00:21:37.460 --> 00:21:41.980 comes with absolute power and absolute knowledge. 00:21:43.339 --> 00:21:48.599 The God of all creation dies for us and for our salvation. 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:52.519 In the slain lamb, the lamb who takes away the sins of the world. 00:21:53.180 --> 00:21:56.039 And that is the paradox of the gospel, isn't it? 00:21:56.039 --> 00:22:03.359 That Jesus' weakness and his death means that he now rules with absolute power. 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:08.000 And that turns the values of this world right upside down. 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:11.339 The hatred of man crucifies Jesus. 00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:17.099 But this means that God's love in his life is poured out on his people. 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:20.299 And that the world is redeemed. 00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:23.579 Look at, as we go down to verse 7. 00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:26.359 Jesus, they sing a new song. 00:22:26.859 --> 00:22:28.819 And this new song is about Jesus. 00:22:29.419 --> 00:22:31.659 You are worthy, they sing, because you were slain. 00:22:31.740 --> 00:22:33.779 And by your blood you ransomed people. 00:22:33.899 --> 00:22:40.279 You freed them for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 00:22:41.099 --> 00:22:44.879 You have made them a kingdom of priests to our God. 00:22:45.019 --> 00:22:46.679 And they shall reign on earth. 00:22:47.879 --> 00:22:50.839 Now, brothers and sisters, this is why God frees us. 00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:57.359 A kingdom that represents God to the world. 00:22:58.079 --> 00:23:01.359 And who you are praying to God for as well. 00:23:01.419 --> 00:23:02.299 That's what a priest does. 00:23:02.459 --> 00:23:08.459 The more a slave was worth, the more money you would pay for the redemption and freedom. 00:23:09.399 --> 00:23:13.939 Here we see that you are so precious. 00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:21.360 That individuals in the world are so precious that the beloved son of God, God himself, dies. 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:23.500 He is given as a gift for you. 00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:26.019 And your salvation and your freedom. 00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:29.420 We see how utterly precious we are to God. 00:23:30.100 --> 00:23:35.000 He knows that our greatest good is to free us from death and bring us to the life of heaven. 00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:38.940 And out of love, he accomplishes it in Jesus. 00:23:39.880 --> 00:23:46.880 So in closing, the way of renewal for us, the way for us to be waking up to God, 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:55.039 is very simply to abandon yourself to really heart, mind, and soul. 00:23:55.039 --> 00:24:03.980 To abandon yourself to this truth that you are precious to God by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ dying for us. 00:24:04.460 --> 00:24:08.200 And then Jesus is worthy of your worship. 00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:13.200 He is the one who is meant to be on the throne over your life. 00:24:13.700 --> 00:24:17.599 That is in that that you find real life. 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:25.319 A life that is ruled by Jesus, who loves you, who is doing this powerful work within you to change you to be like him, 00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:30.039 and who gives you grace to be lights to the world. 00:24:31.019 --> 00:24:37.879 You know, this is so important to us because we are very easily drawn back into slavery that we are ransomed from. 00:24:37.980 --> 00:24:43.199 We are like the Hebrews who wanted to go back to Egypt where it was warm and secure, 00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:45.259 but where they are enslaved. 00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:46.460 They are enslaved. 00:24:46.940 --> 00:24:51.240 Many things can displace our affection for Jesus. 00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:57.660 And we can be intimidated by rulers and by forces in this world. 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:06.299 But these chapters are meant to reorient me and refocus you as well, 00:25:07.299 --> 00:25:13.720 our whole life, by showing us what real life is like in relation to Jesus, 00:25:13.720 --> 00:25:21.519 who is utterly worthy of our worship and our praise and living our life for as well. 00:25:22.779 --> 00:25:26.740 We will always have that temptation to place our affections on other things, 00:25:26.839 --> 00:25:31.000 but this remarkable scene that ends the chapter gives us reality. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:33.019 And we leave this chapter with it. 00:25:33.059 --> 00:25:34.220 Look down at verse 12. 00:25:34.220 --> 00:25:38.039 Verse 12 says, 00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:40.220 Worthy is... 00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:43.400 Whoops, I've got to turn over to it. 00:25:46.779 --> 00:25:48.039 Verse 12 says, 00:25:48.120 --> 00:25:49.220 To him who... 00:25:49.220 --> 00:25:53.039 I can't read this very well, so it's actually 13, isn't it? 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:55.519 We jump down to 13. 00:25:55.620 --> 00:25:55.960 It says, 00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:59.700 To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. 00:25:59.700 --> 00:26:01.700 You see what happens here? 00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:05.840 Jesus is joining God the Father on the throne. 00:26:06.080 --> 00:26:07.660 He is God himself as well. 00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:12.559 And all that worship goes to the Lamb and to God the Father. 00:26:13.420 --> 00:26:20.200 To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and glory and might forever and ever. 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:21.340 Amen. 00:26:22.420 --> 00:26:23.860 That's our wake-up call. 00:26:24.279 --> 00:26:27.940 It's the reality that surrounds us in every aspect of our life. 00:26:27.940 --> 00:26:33.240 On this Trinity Sunday, may God the Holy Spirit fill and strengthen you 00:26:33.240 --> 00:26:37.460 so that you see every day that Jesus is worthy of your worship 00:26:37.460 --> 00:26:41.759 and that he strengthens you to glorify him in your life 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:47.960 and that he strengthens you by the hope of heaven where you all will be. 00:26:48.600 --> 00:26:54.779 That your identity is completely bound up in the one who has loved you, died for you, 00:26:54.779 --> 00:26:59.200 created you, created you, and redeemed you as his own forever. 00:26:59.879 --> 00:27:03.319 Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth, 00:27:03.779 --> 00:27:09.779 wisdom and might, and honor and glory and blessing forever and ever. 00:27:10.420 --> 00:27:10.799 Amen. 00:27:24.839 --> 00:27:24.940 Amen. 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:24.940 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:54.920 Thank you.